Second Chances
by greenmangoes
Summary: Luna comes back after five years to give George his freedom back. But what if he doesn't want it?
1. Prologue

A/N: I don't own anything.

A/N 2: This is my first HP fic attempt and given that it's been years since I last re-read the series then let me apologize beforehand if Luna and George here might be a little OC. That being said, I've always been fascinated by unconventional or not-so-canon ships and found myself reading Loony for Luna and it's sequel which got me hooked on this pairing (kudos to CJ - Lady of Griffyndor) hence this clumsy attempt. Having trouble with editing the story's properties so it's not categorized properly. Anyway hope it's not so bad =)

**Title : Second Chances**

**Rating : **M (to be safe)

**Pairing : **George/Luna

**Disclaimer : **All recognizable characters are the property of JK Rowling and Scholastic Books. No profit is being made from their use so no copyright infringement is intended.

Prologue:

_It was the night before she was set to go back to Hogwarts with both Ginny and Hermione that Luna snuck out of the Burrow. Having lived with the Weasleys for months after the final battle that killed Voldemort, she knew the family's schedule by heart. She knew that Mr and Mrs Weasley would be deeply asleep by then, along with Ron and Harry and Ginny and Hermione. Of course, she had the added guarantee that their sleep was aided by the sleeping draught she had slipped into the pumpkin juice they had all partaken during dinner. At the edge of the clearing, where she knew the sound of her apparition wouldn't be heard, she waved her wand to do so, hoping that the Ministry of Magic would be too busy with the rebuilding efforts to be monitoring underage use of magic to notice her stunt._

_Minutes later, she had apparated outside the door to the loft above the WWW. Taking a deep breath, she undid her robes just before she opened the door, as quiet as possible, so as not to awaken the sole occupant of the bed on the right. Heart thumping, she slowly walked towards the bed, momentarily assailed by nervousness as she spied his sleeping form. Although he had lost a lot of weight in the wake of his twin's death, his torso remained muscular which was now bared to her gaze, and she knew the same could be said for his legs despite being hidden by the blanket lying across his waist. Trembling a bit, she completed disrobing, before she slowly crept underneath the blanket._

_George drifted to consciousness slowly and quite pleasurably … with the feel of soft lips grazing his neck. Having lived quite 'freely' following his twin's death, he figured that it was the girl he had just bedded earlier in the day coming back for an encore, and so without opening his eyes, he turned to capture said lips with his own. If he had been more awake, he would have realized faster that the lips under his own were fuller, and that the body under his own was slimmer and the hair splayed on his pillow was longer. As it was, it took several minutes of intense kissing before his brain processed the fact that the lips clinging to his own, while warm and willing, was in fact doing so tentatively, quite in contrast with the enthusiasm displayed earlier by the girl he had taken to bed while the shop was closed for lunch. But just as this thought crossed his mind, her slight movement under him served to further awaken his senses so that he had to deepen the kiss, his right hand tangling in her hair to better angle her lips to his. It was this move that woke him completely, for the girl he had earlier had short hair. In fact, all the girls he had bedded in the last couple of months had short dark hair. Opening his eyes he realized he was not only holding on to someone's long tresses – rather he was holding on to someone's long, blonde tresses as revealed by the light of the full moon. He knew of only one girl who had similar tresses…_

_"Bloody hell!" he shouted, sitting up abruptly, the movement throwing the long-haired girl her out of the bed, taking the blanket with her and revealing him in all his aroused glory._

_Before either could react further, the door to his loft slammed open to reveal the angry glare of a bespectacled, red-haired man whose wand was pointing directly at his dazed brother on the bed._


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 : Back for Good

George was busy tallying the day's sales in the corner desk when a brown owl swooped through the door that his best friend Lee was in the process of closing for the day, and dropped a rolled parchment in front of him. "What the…" he left the sentence unfinished as he recognized the seal attached to the document in front of him. It bore the image of a half-moon intertwined with half a heart. It was Luna's personal seal.

He quickly whipped the scroll off the desk and into the drawer, thinking to hide it before his friend could see it. He needn't have bothered for Lee had noted the pallor on his friend's face and had already guessed correctly from whom the message had come. Sighing loudly, he left the door open so the owl could exit after George had fed it. That done, he walked towards his friend after locking the door behind the departing owl. "Aren't you even going to open it?"

George didn't answer. He never did despite Lee's frequent prodding. And because he knew how stubborn his friend could be, Lee just shook his head and asked instead, "Are you joining us for dinner later?"

"Not this time." George answered without looking up from the ledgers in front of him.

"Well, if you change your mind, we'll be at the Leaky Cauldron until 10." Lee offered just before he apparated out of the shop.

At his friend's exit, George gave up the pretense. In truth, the numbers had all bled together and had ceased to make sense after he'd seen the scroll. And before he could stop himself, he had already opened the drawer, revealing not one but countless other scrolls bearing the same seal… all of which remained unbroken.

And just like all the other times that this had happened, the image in the portrait across the desk shook his head in frustration. "Bloody hell, George! How long are you going to keep this up?"

"Until it stops." George wasn't even fazed at the censure he heard in his twin's voice.

"What if it doesn't?" Fred asked his stubborn twin.

"It will." George answered as he started to close the drawer. But not before, he ran a fingertip reverently on one of scrolls, almost as though he was unable to prevent himself from doing so and whispered softly, "…it has to." Because while he had remained steadfast in his refusal to read her letters all these years, he didn't know how much longer he could do so. As it was, he was barely hanging on.

* * *

"Luna!" a familiar voice squealed loudly across the field as the blond-haired girl emerged from the London Airport, having travelled from the States using that muggle technology they called an airplane.

"Ginny!" Luna quickly ran towards her best friend just before the two girls embraced warmly. "I missed you!"

"I missed you too." The redhead answered. "Goodness, I almost didn't recognize you." She added as she noted the absence of the almost waist-length silver-blonde tresses that had previously identified her to friends.

Luna fought the urge to run her hand through her now shorter and darker hairstyle self-consciously. "I felt like a change…" she offered quietly.

"I'll say!" Ginny commented, also noting the other changes in her friend's appearance. Gone were the radish earrings and the perpetual dreamy expression in her eyes. Also gone was the almost ethereal look she had sported once before. Instead, what stood before the redhead was an older, more sophisticated, if not more jaded version of her best friend. She wasn't quite sure if she liked this development though.

"You like?" Luna asked as she twirled in front of her friend, striving to sound more confident than she felt.

And because Ginny heard the hesitation in Luna's voice, she realized that despite the changes, she was still the same girl she had been before her departure for the States five years before, and so sought to reassure her, "I like!"

* * *

Luna walked into the house not knowing what to expect. She was a little surprised to find that nothing had changed. Not even the wards that they had placed around the property just before she left Britain to go half-way across the world for her studies. She had known from Ginny that he hadn't been staying here during her absence, and so had expected things to be covered with dust at the very least and the gardens overgrown with weeds and riddled with gnomes. But everything was clean of dust and she hadn't seen a single gnome in the garden. Nor were there any moss in the fountain out front as was expected of a property that had been neglected. That he had somehow taken the time to maintain the place in her absence, gave her hope, foolish though it probably was.

Sighing loudly, she set about moving her things into the master bedroom to settle in for the night.

* * *

George didn't know why found himself standing where he was. He had planned to join Lee, Angelina and Katie at the Leaky Cauldron that night but found himself apparating here instead. Although he had refused to live in this house, he had hired a freed elf who lived nearby to maintain the property, and would sometimes spend the night. He never could figure out why though, it's not as though they had lived here together after…

Sighing loudly, he set about moving towards the master bedroom to settle in for the night.

* * *

He must have been more tired than he thought because he didn't even think to turn the lights on as he crept into the bedroom. Instead, he disrobed in the dark and made his way towards the bed in his boxers. He knew from experience that the bed would be warm – for the elf he had hired had always taken care to put a spell for this on the bed knowing his penchant for appearing without advance notice.

Placing his wand on the side table, he didn't bother to turn the top sheet down before he lay down on the bed, sleep claiming him almost immediately, as was norm, whenever he found himself in this room during the last five years.

* * *

Luna almost woke up when she felt a shift in the bed. But having taken a light sleeping draught earlier to help her body get used to the time zone change much quicker, she only snuggled further towards the new source of warmth in the bed, not knowing that come morning, she would find herself face to face with the past she had striven to outrun five years before.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2. Wake Me Up Before You Go (Go)

The sun was just starting to make its way up outside the window when the effects of the draught she had taken the night before slowly cleared out of her system. With eyes barely open, she moved towards the edge of the bed intending to get up when she encountered resistance. Struggling to free herself from the beddings, she opened her eyes and found herself facing someone's back. Make that someone's very bare and muscular back! Eyes widening in surprise, she clutched the blanket closer to her body, conscious of the fact that she was very much naked under the sheets. Striving to clear the effects of the sleeping draught, she tried frantically to recall the events of the night before. Surely she would have remembered if she had slipped into some guy's bed last night? After all, it's not like she had ever done something like that before…or rather, again during the last five years. She had learned her lesson after all.

She was almost in a full-blown panic when she noticed the stranger's head…or rather his head of hair, or more precisely, the color of his hair. It was the same color as the girl she had met at the station yesterday…

But before she could gather her wits about her, he had already shifted and turned towards her. Still with his eyes closed, he mumbled softly, "Stop staring…" his voice gravelly from sleep.

Frozen, unable to move, for fear he'd open his eyes and find out who it was he had with him in the bed, Luna didn't make a sound. Hardly daring to breathe, she tried to lift her right arm to summon her wand so she could apparate out of the room.

But his reflexes were faster and she found her wrist clasped in his left hand just before he rolled to cover her body with his. Eyes widening in surprise, she could only gasp in reaction as he drew her arm back down towards the bed while his lips hovered over her cheek.

* * *

George reckoned he was dreaming, what with the feel of a soft, very naked body underneath him, with only a thin bed sheet separating said body from his. After all, in the last five years, he had lived a completely celibate life – much to his best friend Lee's confusion. And because it had been that long since he'd found relief, he figured he could be forgiven for wanting to prolong this dream. Without opening his eyes, his mouth sought to taste the soft skin underneath, landing on the woman's cheek. She smelled heavenly – like lilacs – almost like …

Mentally closing that train of thought – he shifted so he could move one hand on her nape to better position her lips for easier access and after encountering short hair, he gave himself fully into the dream. A dream where the woman beneath him was the last girl he had slept with… that last girl before he'd had the (mis)fortune to hold Luna in his arms.

Still with his eyes closed he sought to gain entrance into her lips. But instead of encountering experienced kissing, he found himself tasting the same innocence he had felt that fateful day five years before. He growled in frustration as he fought the effects of the memory of that kiss on his lower body, trying instead to change the quality of the kiss in desperation – deepening it and making it more carnal in nature by sweeping his tongue on her lower lip and nipping it lightly and then changing the angle so he could suck on it. Expecting an equally aggressive kiss back when he released her lip, he was surprised to feel her tongue tentatively stroking his own lips as though unsure of what to do. Unbidden, Luna's image superimposed itself in the back of his eyelids – Luna, with her long, disheveled silvery blond hair and wide silver-blue eyes staring at him in wonder.

"No!" he thought wildly. This was His dream…she couldn't be here. She shouldn't. He wouldn't let her be in this dream. He needed relief and he needed the girl under him to NOT be her… to not taste like her…to not feel like her. More aggressive now, he fumbled for the top of the sheet separating their bodies and yanked roughly on it so he could feel her fully. But instead of encountering a full bosom, his chest met with a smaller chest…and instead of the thin and taut, almost mannish hips, he felt a soft fullness that ran counter to that image he had of his last full sexual encounter.

"No bloody way are you ruining this for me…" he muttered to himself half in frustration and half in desperation as he threw himself without restraint into this…whatever this was. After all, it was only a dream wasn't it?

* * *

"Wha…?" she couldn't even formulate a complete question at hearing his muttered exclamation. Her body felt on fire. One minute she was figuring out how to leave the room with him none the wiser, the next she was under him and kissing him back with abandon. She knew she should wake him up. She knew he wasn't fully awake yet. She knew he would stop the minute he realized whom it was he was actually kissing. But because she knew this moment would be ruined if she did so…she let it continue. "Just this once" she thought to herself selfishly. "Just this once, and then he can forget about me completely." She thought desperately. She had come back not to beg him to accept her because she knew it was way past that. After all, if he had even considered doing so – he had plenty of time to do so. She had come of age several years past and he had always known where to find her. But he had refused to see her…even once. He had refused to answer even one of her owls. No. She had come back to begin the process of letting him go for good before she accepted the offer to teach full time at a Muggle University in the States. She had come back to set things right with the family that took her in when she had no one left in this world. Not for this. Never for this.

But this… this was beyond her imaginings. This was …. She couldn't even comprehend what this was. How this felt. So she threw caution to the winds and let herself enjoy this…whatever this was.

* * *

It was unlike anything they had ever experienced before. One minute, it was heated and desperate, the next soft and drugging. It was fast and carnal and then turned slow and sensual. And when he finally made her his, she was so very ready there was hardly any pain at all. And even though he had felt that initial resistance, her passionate response made it easier for him to remain in this dreamland. And after it was all over… complete exhaustion claimed them.

* * *

The harsh ray of the late morning sun was what woke him up finally. He opened his eyes to take in his surroundings, half expecting to be at his loft above WWW. The walls however made him realize where he was. He sighed loudly realizing it had all really been a dream. After all, he would never take anyone here, let alone even think about taking anyone to bed elsewhere. But after last night's very vivid dreaming, he was damned if he didn't sometimes curse his own sense of honor.

He sat up slowly and made to get out of the bed when he realized something. He was naked under the sheet. He frowned in confusion as he distinctly remembered being in his boxers when he crawled to bed last night. Thinking he had probably taken it off when he took care of himself while dreaming, he shrugged and moved to stand up. He was pulling on his boxers when he saw what the cast off top sheet revealed underneath and his eyes widened in bewilderment. "What the bloody fuck?" he thought. "It had all been a dream, hadn't it?"


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Freedom

Luna unconsciously squared her shoulders as she resolutely walked towards the WWW shop. She had taken the time to put on some make up to hide the bags under her eyes. She had fled the 'scene' as it were the other day and had gone instead to stay at the Potter's spare bedroom. She had told her friend that despite her best efforts, her long absence had made staying at that house by the hill uncomfortable. Ginny and Harry hadn't questioned her further and instead had opened their home to her where she had then met little James and baby Albus for the first time. She was supposed to make an appearance at the Burrow tonight, where Ginny had called for a reunion of sorts to welcome her back officially and also to welcome back Hermione and Ron who had been honeymooning overseas. Charlie, Percy and Penelope and Bill and Fleur were also expected to come by. Which left only one Weasley who was unaware of her return.

She had purposely made sure to come by at lunch time so Lee would be on a break. So that if he chose to react negatively at her return, there would at least be no witness to her humiliation.

She found him poring over something on his desk when she came in.

"We're closed for …" He began as he stood up… the rest of his sentence trailed off at the sight of her.

"Hello George." She greeted him softly, unsure of her welcome.

No matter how many times George imagined this meeting to be, he was quite unprepared at his own reaction to it. He had always thought she would look the same as the last time he had seen her. But instead of that uncertain, innocent and slightly spacey looking, long-haired sprite he expected, he saw an older, more sophisticated woman in front of him. Her silvery blue eyes now looked even bigger on a face framed by a pixie cut hairstyle that had been dyed dark brown. No trace of the silvery blond tresses she had years before. She looked at him directly, no hint of the dreamy expression she used to sport on her face.

"What the hell did you do to yourself?" His voice came out rougher than he wanted.

She flinched at the veiled anger evident in his response. "Please…" her voice cracked a little and at the sound, she swallowed quickly and mustered enough nerve to finish her sentence without a quiver in her voice, "Can we dispense with the hostility for now. I don't want to fight."

"I'm sorry." He replied woodenly. He knew he was being an ass, but the unexpected changes in her appearance made him quite angry for some reason.

She didn't know why she even hoped for a different reception, after all, she knew he resented her for what she had done all those years ago. She bit her lip trying to control her emotions. "You can do this." She coached herself mentally as she fought for composure. Reaching into her bag, she extracted a scroll and placed it on the counter between them.

"What the hell is that?" He asked as he crossed his arms in front of him and leaned back into the desk behind him.

"Your freedom," was all she said, just before she turned around and walked quickly out of the store.

His heart slammed into his chest at her words. Moving quickly towards the counter, he opened the scroll and found himself reading a petition for divorce.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Chances Are

"Where the fuck is she?" George asked as he stormed inside Harry and Ginny's house searching for his errant wife.

"Language George!" Ginny admonished him as she covered James' ears unconsciously even though the boy was napping by the sofa, his brother also napping by the crib in the corner.

George sighed heavily and apologized to his sister, "Sorry…" he offered as he sat heavily on the sofa.

Ginny sighed. "I assume she already gave you the papers?" She asked.

"What the eff, Gins?" He almost shouted at her, only the presence of his nephews making him temper his voice. "You knew about this?"

Ginny took her time answering, "Of course…she's still my best friend after all," she muttered, "even if she has chosen to study halfway across the world from me all these years."

"But, why?" He asked, although he knew his question was a bit irrational considering they had been living separate lives for the last five years.

"Why not?" Ginny retorted. "It's not like you even wanted the marriage in the first place."

He growled in frustration. "But, why now?" He asked. "Is she seeing someone else?" The question was torn out of him.

His sister glared at him. "Where the hell do you bloody get off with that?" She seethed. "Of course she isn't! But I wouldn't exactly blame her either if she was!" she whispered furiously. "It's been five years George! Five bloody long years since you've conveniently buried the fact that you're married to her!"

He was about to answer, when she continued her tirade. "Did you even bother to visit her? Did you even bother writing her? Because I know she has been writing to you. But YOU…" she struggled to keep her voice even to avoid waking James and Albus, "YOU refused to even answer any of her letters!"

"What of it?" He defended himself. "We wouldn't have been in this predicament if it weren't for her!"

At his words, Ginny's rising anger deflated. "I know…" she said softly in response. "It was a mistake. One she has regretted all these years. Why do you think she distanced herself from the rest of us? It wasn't her who insisted on the marriage after all, you know that."

He didn't answer. He knew that. She had apologized to him over and over before, during and even after that mockery of a wedding ceremony they had.

"Does Mum know?" He asked instead.

"Yes." She answered. "She went to see her first."

"And Mum agreed?" He asked incredulously.

"Like I said, it's been five years. Even Mum has acknowledged the futility of your marriage to her."

For some reason, the knowledge that even his Mum had given up on it made him angry. "Just like that huh?" He couldn't keep the resentment out if his voice. "She forces us to marry and live celibate lives for five freaking years and because she has given up on the whole thing, I'm supposed to agree like a meek little boy that it's over?"

"Why are you even fighting this?" She asked helplessly. "You should celebrate your imminent free..." she had stared to mutter, but then realized what he had just said, "…what do you mean celibate lives? Do you mean to tell me you've never…" She couldn't continue the thought.

George wished like hell he had kept his mouth shut. Nobody knew he had been faithful to his marriage, such as it was, least of all his sister. He had kept up appearances, going out with Lee on group dates, because the whole marriage was kept a secret to protect Luna and allow her to finish her studies. The rest of his family thought he had continued the debauched lifestyle he'd led after Fred's death even after his secret marriage, and had made their disgust plain. And if it weren't for that fact that they didn't want to lose him as they had lost Percy for a spell and Fred forever, they probably would have ostracized him completely. As it was, his contact with this family had been limited to occasional appearances at the Burrow to assure them he was still alive. Nobody had forced him to keep in contact with Luna, given the circumstances of their marriage, even though he knew, they had continued to write her and even visit her periodically abroad.

"But what about…" Ginny asked in confusion, unable to finish her thought.

"I might have been an asshole about the whole marriage thing, but I'm still Mum and Dad's son. I wouldn't have cheated on her." He muttered. "I couldn't." he added almost as an afterthought.

"And why not?" She asked brother softly.

"Because…" was all he said aloud. But deep inside the recesses of his mind, he knew. It was because every time he tried to…her image haunted him. Her taste taunted him. And because he couldn't even begin to admit to himself that he had been ruined by the memory of that brief encounter…that he had lusted, however briefly, after an under aged girl (never mind that she had only been months away from adulthood by Wizarding standards when it happened), he had refused to even give the marriage the chance it deserved as perhaps he could have after she had reached her majority. As perhaps he should have in the intervening years. And most likely would have, he finally admitted to himself now that he had seen her again, had it not been for the fact that she was now finally giving up.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Say It Isn't So

Luna was lying on George's old bed in the Burrow, exhausted from all the hustle and bustle that was the Weasley family. She loved them all, she really did, but the way they hovered over her as though expecting her to breakdown at any given moment was exhausting. It hadn't helped at all that her soon-to-be-ex-husband had yet to make an appearance, this being so close to dinner time. Giving jetlag as an excuse, she had escaped to this room, at Molly's insistence, brushing aside Luna's assertion that she stay in Ginny's old room instead, saying she had as much right to George's (and Fred's) old bedroom given that she was his wife, never mind that said distinction had been in name only for the last couple of years. In name only that is, until two days ago. She wished there was some way to erase that memory from her brain, but like that night so many years ago, this new memory persisted in playing like a broken record in her mind for most of yesterday and today. She wondered briefly what he'd thought when he woke up. He probably thought it had been a dream. She would have smiled at the notion that she'd put one over him if she didn't feel like crying at the same time. It was one thing to have thought she'd be content with that one memory, it was quite another to actually feel so. Closing her eyes in exasperation, she strove to get a little rest before she was called back down again for dinner.

* * *

George had debated with himself all throughout the afternoon whether or not to make an appearance at the Burrow after Ginny had informed him of the family get-together scheduled that night. On the one hand, he'd been missing his siblings and parents, and on the other, he dreaded to see their reaction to Luna's move to write him out of her life. And if he was honest with himself, a part of him also feared how he'd feel seeing her again under the scrutiny of everyone they held dear. And before he could talk himself out of it, he'd apparated himself into the Burrow. Right smack inside his (and Fred's) old bedroom.

* * *

Lune woke with a start at the sound of George apparating into the room. Before she could make a sound however, he had already moved to cover her mouth with his left hand. "Shh…" he whispered, not wishing for his presence to be known downstairs just yet. At her nod, he let her go and moved to sit on the other bed.

Feeling a little at a disadvantage, Luna struggled to sit up on the bed, moving to fix her hair automatically before she realized she had in fact shorn her locks prior to her flight back to Britain. Clasping her hands together on her lap, she waited for him to speak. But he just sat there staring at her, as though quite unsure what to make of her presence. In an effort to project more confidence, she quickly squared her shoulders, unknowingly pushing her chest out so that the outline of her breast was made visible under her white peasant-style blouse and unwittingly drawing his eyes downwards.

"What the hell are you wearing?" He growled at her in annoyance, figuring that if he could see through it, then his other brothers and Harry probably could see through it too.

"I… what?" she asked in confusion, not expecting his question at all.

"Are you even wearing anything underneath that?" He continued, brushing off her confusion.

"Oh…" she bit her lip mortification at his derisive tone. Because the peasant blouse was off the shoulder, she had done away with wearing a bra, and instead settled for nipple tape, figuring she wasn't amply endowed anyway that nobody would notice. She was starting to explain before she realized, he had no right to question her attire at all. "What I wear and don't wear is none of your business." She retorted, pushing her chest out some more in defiance.

"What the…why you.." He could barely articulate his thoughts as he took in the way her defiant stance further revealed that she was indeed not wearing anything at all under the blouse.

"What are you doing here anyway?" She asked in annoyance. "Nobody thought you'd show up."

"And why the hell not?" He asked. "This is still my home."

"Not according to Ginny it isn't, for all the times you'd bothered to actually show up here in the last couple of years." She spat furiously.

"Keeping tabs on your husband eh?" He drawled derisively, emphasizing the word 'husband.'

"I couldn't care less about you." She retorted. "Unfortunately, your parents keep mentioning this during their visits to me."

"Couldn't care less about me huh? Is that why you kept sending me all those owls?" he mocked her.

At the reminder of all her unanswered letters, her anger deflated. "Well, we both know how stupid that was don't we…" she whispered in embarrassment.

George could have kicked himself at his stupidity. "I…" he started to apologize, but she beat him to it.

"It's okay. It's the truth anyway."

"No, I…" he began again.

"No…" she didn't let him continue. "Just… just sign the papers so you can finally be rid of my presence in your life." She finished as she stood up to leave the room.

"What if I don't want to?" the question hung in the air between them just before she opened the door.

She gave a humorless laugh. "You're already missing an ear. You shouldn't cut your nose to spite your face further," she threw back at him without turning around.

It took several seconds after she had slammed the door behind her before the sound if his genuine laugh echoed throughout the house .


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Go Away Little Girl (Before I Beg You to Stay)

Luna was taking a nap at the Potter's spare bedroom when Errol, the Weasley's decrepit owl came flying through the window and dropped a scroll on top of her head. That the owl was long gone before she had even gotten a hold of her wand in reaction was testament to how much her reflexes had dulled after having lived sans magic among muggles in the last couple of years. It had been hard to get used to during that first year in the States and she almost called it quits several times if not for the fact that the thought of actually living with George as his wife scared her even more.

After Percy had found them at the loft above the shop, having been alerted to her use of magic, George had been livid, both at his brother and her - Percy, for jumping to all the wrong conclusions about George's culpability in the whole situation, and her, for putting them in that situation in the first place. In the long years of her self-imposed exile, she acknowledged the foolishness of her actions that night. After all, she had been sorted as a Ravenclaw for a reason, even if people often referred to her as loony. It was George's fault anyway. She was pretty sure she had been successful in persuading Percy to not tell their parents about it if he hadn't done what he had…

**_Flashback_**

"_Nothing happened." Luna insisted for the nth time, as Percy paced back and forth in front of them in agitation while he contemplated the situation. _

_ "Shut up!" George admonished me furiously, his jaw ticking as he tried to control his temper._

_ "Bloody hell, George! She's underage! What the hell were you thinking?" the older Weasley ignored Luna's assertions._

_ "It wasn't his fault!" Luna was quick to absolve George of blame. "I was only trying to get the blubbermares* out of his ear…" she explained to them._

_ Percy looked at George first in vexation as though saying, "Is she for real?," before turning to her and asking, "In your knickers?," not even bothering to argue with her over the existence of blubbermares, let alone how to exorcise them._

_ "Uhm…well it was hot when I got here so I took off my robe. I'd forgotten I wasn't wearing any clothes under it," she muttered._

_ Percy looked like he was torn between turning her over to the Ministry of Magic and committing her to the mental asylum. _

_ "I was getting ready for bed when I remembered…" she hastily added in explanation, as though everything made perfect sense. "We were leaving for Hogwarts early the next morning and I didn't know when the first weekend at Hogsmeade would be…"_

_ At the two men's confused look, "I…I didn't want you to have any more nightmares…" she offered to George lamely, bowing her head so her hair shielded her face completely from the younger Weasley._

_ "Well…" Percy's uncertain voice broke the silence. "Still…I can't in good conscience keep this secret…from the Ministry, yes… but not to Mum…" he trailed off awkwardly, almost apologetically._

_ Despite understanding Percy's predicament and his reluctance to cause another estrangement with his parents, Luna was about to argue again when George did the unexpected. _

_ "Expecto patronum," he cast the spell. _

_And before Percy or Luna could say or do anything in reaction to the fact that George had indeed managed to cast one successfully, off it went to the Burrow, carrying with it, George's message to his parents._

**_- end of flashback-_**

Luna stared at the scroll in her hand, reluctant to open it. She knew it was the divorce papers she had left for George to sign. Although she knew it was for best, after all, they both couldn't live in this limbo they were in forever, she felt wretched at the prospect of George finally being able to find happiness with another girl and so unbelievably jealous of whomever it was that would spend eternity with him in his bed. Sighing loudly, she broke the seal purposefully and opened the scroll, quickly scanning down and mentally preparing herself for the sight of his signature at the bottom…only to find they were blank. "What…" she began to ask herself in confusion but broke off when she saw a scrap of paper that had been rolled into the scroll float slowly towards the floor. Bending to pick it up, she turned it over to read the message that was inked in George's messy scrawl.

"You're not getting off that easily."

* * *

A/N: *no such creature in canon , just a product of my imagination for the story

A/N2: have also taken further liberties with George's patronus casting =)


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: The Girl Is Mine

George was humming a random tune loudly as he went over the inventory for the shop. Lee looked at him in confusion and asked, "What has gotten you so chirpy this morning?"

"Nothing.", was his quick reply, not even bothering to look up from the papers in front of him.

Shaking his head, Lee turned to flip the sign in front of the shop to signal the start of the day. He was about to walk back to the counter when he heard the bell tinkling, signaling the entry of someone into the store.

"Can I help …" his voice trailed off as he saw who came in. "Luna?"

At the mention of his estranged wife's name, George apparated quickly to the loft above the shop, heart thudding in anticipation at the thought that she would most likely follow him upstairs.

"Hi Lee." She greeted him with a smile and asked quickly, "Is George around?"

Lee was stunned at the change in Luna's appearance. She had always been attractive, albeit in a strange kind of way, her manner of dressing and accessorizing almost always detracting from her looks. But right now, she was wearing a summer dress that showed off her lovely shoulders and quite an expanse of long lovely legs and instead of sporting her usual petrified fruit/vegetable accessories, her ears and throat were bare. "Nice hair…" he mumbled, shaking himself visibly, not hearing anything beyond her greeting.

"Uhm…thanks?" she offered tentatively, quite unused to the reaction she had gotten from him.

"How have you been?" He asked, chatting her up. "It's been years since I last saw you…"

"I'm good." She answered, uncertain whether he was just being polite. "Just came back from the States. I finished my studies there at a muggle university."

"Cool!" he responded. "What did you take up?"

Luna relaxed at the genuine interest in Lee's voice and smiled broadly, "Marine Biology."

"Oh? That explains the tan then…been swimming a lot I take it?"

She laughed. "Yeah…I couldn't exactly study the mating habits of crumple horned snorkacks in the States could I? So I figured, studying the creatures of the deep seemed like the next best thing…"

* * *

Upstairs, George was tapping his foot impatiently, not quite sure what was holding Luna up. He would have thought she'd be here as soon as Lee realized his absence. Unable to wait any longer, he crept slowly down the stairs to see what was taking her so long and was quite unprepared for the scene he found.

Lee was chatting her up and was slowly moving closer to her. He had seen that same move work time and again whenever his best friend – make that his soon-to-be-ex-bestfriend – tried to hook up with girls. And before he could even think about it, he found himself apparating behind her so he could quickly wrap an arm around her waist, draw her body flush against his, and loudly stake his claim against her ear, "Welcome home, wifey!" while his eyes shot daggers at his friend.

* * *

"What the heck was that about?" She shot at him furiously the minute they got to the house by the hill. Lee had understandably been left flummoxed at George's bold announcement and had offered no complaint when George further announced they were going to their conjugal home for some alone time before apparating them both to their current location.

"I would have thought it was obvious." He shrugged nonchalantly. "Or did they really sort you by mistake into Ravenclaw?" he added in jest, eyes twinkling merrily.

"Why did you tell him we were married?" she asked, trying to ignore his playful mood.

"Uhm… Because we are?" he drawled in response as he sat down the couch, patting the space beside him as though expecting her to sit next to him.

"We are getting a divorce…" she reminded him, ignoring his offer to sit down.

"No we're not." He answered with deliberation as though it was a foregone conclusion.

"An annulment then," she answered waspishly, frustrated with his hot and cold treatment.

"We both know that's out of the question." His matter of fact response startled her.

"What do you mean?" she asked guardedly, heart thumping madly. Surely he didn't know about that night? He was half asleep after all – and he never opened his eyes.

"You have a birthmark shaped like a half moon on your lower back." He answered obliquely.

"I …what?" Her eyes widened at his revelation, blushing furiously.

"It isn't visible when you wear jeans." His voice came out hoarsely. "And no, I hadn't seen it five years ago when Percy found us at the loft."

She bit her lips nervously unable to refute him. They both knew he never had a chance to do so that night. Still, she had to deny the claim, "I…" but before she could even finish the thought, he had tugged her towards him so she was standing between his legs.

Looking up at her, her left wrist held by his right hand, he wrapped his left hand around her right thigh and asked, "Shall we see if I'm correct?" his eyes boring into hers intently.

"But how...?" She asked him in bewilderment. "You were half-asleep…" she trailed off helplessly, not realizing she had inadvertently confirmed his suspicions with that statement.

"I had thought it was a dream…" He agreed dazedly. Despite his claim, he hadn't been completely sure it had been real at all, except for that small memento that had been left on the sheets. And even then he didn't think it had been her. It was only when Ginny had distractedly let loose that Luna had spent a night at this house that he had suspected it was her.

They didn't know how long they stared at each other after that. It could have been seconds. It could have been minutes...hours. Until finally, she whispered, "So now what?".

George gave a humorless laugh. "Now we wait." He let her go reluctantly and deliberately sprawled his long form onto the sofa.

"For what?" she asked in confusion as she sat down next to him.

"Have you had your monthly yet?" He asked conversationally, trying to keep a straight face.

And for the first time that day, George Weasley finally managed to render Luna Lovegood Weasley speechless.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 : Love Moves (In Mysterious Ways)

"So what's the plan now?" Ginny asked her best friend as Luna moved about to the Potter guest room to pack her things.

Luna sighed as she sat across her sister-in-law on the bed. "We wait."

"There are tests you know. You don't need to wait."

"I suppose. But it's only been a couple of days. George says he doesn't trust any results taken before at least a month after."

"Well, you can do the waiting here as well as at the house…" Ginny offered.

"I could. But your brother is being a stubborn git. He says that's part of his condition. He won't sign the divorce papers otherwise – even if it turns out negative."

"And will you be sharing the bedroom?" Ginny asked bluntly.

Luna blushed at her friend's direct question.

"Look Luna. I love my brother dearly – I don't have a choice. But you, you are my best friend. And I only want what's best for you."

"I understand Gins…" Luna assured her friend, as she clasped her hands on top of Ginny's. "While it's true that I came back specifically to ask George for a divorce…" she began, "I can't help but hope that I am pregnant." And before Ginny could reply, she continued, "And I know I'm probably crazy for hoping but even if I wasn't…I want…no, I need this chance to be with him. Even if it's just pretend and even if it's only going to be a few weeks."

"Oh Luna…"

"I never told you this before…and I am so sorry for keeping it a secret…but I have always had feelings for your brother…." She admitted. "It wasn't something I could control – or something I even wanted to feel. And I know you think it's impossible because he never even gave me any mind when were at Hogwarts. I mean how could he? He and Fred were much older and I was your friend to boot."

"You don't have to explain…" Ginny began…

"No , you don't understand – something… something happened before… I was … I had resigned myself to give it up. But then the war happened and my father died and then I had to stay with you at the Burrow…" She broke off, unsure as to how to continue, "Do you remember that time when your Mum asked us to start helping him at the shop and instead of helping, you used that time to sneak off to be with Harry?"

"Uh…yes." Ginny bit her lip in remorse.

"Well that first time I came to the shop, George was upstairs. Lee was busy with customers so I went up to see him so I can ask him personally if it was okay to spend some time at the shop. But he was sleeping…or rather he was having a nightmare. I think maybe it had been about Fred."

"I had a hard time in waking him, and when he finally did, he was so embarrassed. I told him he needn't be and that it was normal given his loss…I mean your loss. And well I don't know if it was because the nightmare was still fresh on his mind or what…but we got to talking. And from then on…we would spend maybe an hour every day just talking about Fred or my Mum and Dad. And I guess that just made me fall over to the other side completely, you know. I mean, I think I was straddling the fence between childhood crush and full blown lo…" She blushed at Ginny's reaction.

"Then I remembered something about what my father had told me about nightmares and how they were mostly caused by blubbermares nesting in the ear. I tried to tell him about it and offered to exorcise them for him but he wouldn't believe me. And I tried and tried but still he wouldn't let me. And so the night before we were to leave for Hogwarts – that's when I thought to do it. I mean get those blubbermares out for good because I know he wouldn't have me to talk to if he had the nightmares again so I needed to make sure he didn't have them again." She shrugged. "Of course we all know what happened that night. Your Mum and Dad found out and forced George to marry me. And I know I should have protested more, after all, I only had to wait a couple of months before I was of age but I had foolishly thought…"

_**Flashback**_

_"George…" _

_ "What do you want?" He answered testily as he stared morosely into the fireplace._

_ "Aren't…aren't you coming to bed?" She asked him timidly. _

_ "I'm sleeping here." _

_ "Oh…but…but I thought…" She stammered nervously._

_ "Merlin's arse, Luna!" He shouted. "What kind of a slimy bastard do you take me for?"_

_ She flinched at his tone. "I didn't mean…"_

_ "I only married you to appease my parents' guilt." He growled at her. "And despite their mistaken belief that I was an utter prat for debauching you – I have no intention of bedding a child."_

_ "I'm not a child" she bit out furiously._

_ "'Could have fooled me!" He snorted. "Only a loony child would continue to believe all that nonsense about crumple headed snorkacks or nargles or whatever harebrained figment of the imagination your father fed you all these years." He added harshly._

_**End of flashback**_

"Oh Luna…I'm so sorry…"

"Oh no…you don't have to apologize. He was right after all. I mean, five years away from the wizarding world kind of forces you to let go of certain beliefs. And in retrospect, I guess part of me always knew that those creatures my father told me about probably don't really exist. They were just tales to amuse me when Mum died...and because it was just me and my Dad, well it was easier to just believe." She sighed heavily. "So when I lost him too – there really wasn't any more reason to continue..."

"Even so… George was an utter prat for disillusioning you in such a manner."

"Yes well, I promised to myself that night that I wouldn't burden him with my 'lunacy'" She said in self-derision. "The fact that I couldn't really go back to Hogwarts because of my status made things easier for me to convince your parents to allow me to study in the States. I think they felt guilty for taking away that opportunity for me to finish wizarding school and so they had to let me go."

"Did…did my brother even try to stop you?"

"No. I think he was glad I chose to go."

"So tell me again why you want this chance with him?" Ginny asked in exasperation. "He's been a total git this whole time."

Luna smiled at her friend's reaction. "I guess I don't want to live with regrets. I know I said I was hoping…but I think…I'm pretty sure that I'm not really pregnant. So I **will** be divorced by month's end." She emphasized the word, 'will.' "It seemed foolish to be labeled a divorcee without having experienced being really married you know?" She added jokingly in an effort to lighten the mood.

"What if…"

"No, listen…I have an offer to work in the States full time."

"Oh…"

"And I've already accepted. I start in two months."

"But…"

"Ginny, I only came back so I could say goodbye to you and your family properly."

"What?"

"When I leave next month, I'll be leaving my wand behind."


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore

"George…"

"Hmmm?" He asked distractedly as he pored over the ledgers by the fireplace.

"Aren't you coming to bed yet?"

George froze where he sat. He turned slowly to see her framed by the doorway, wearing a sheer nightgown.

"Luna…"

"Look George, you wanted me here. I am here. " She reminded him. "I am of age now. You are my husband, at least until you sign those papers saying otherwise, so isn't it about time that you act like one?"

George considered the implications of her words. "What if you're not pregnant?" He asked quietly.

"What if I am?" She challenged.

"Luna…" He repeated her name helplessly.

"If I am, then we both know divorce won't be an option. Do you honestly expect both of us to be celibate for the rest of our lives?" She asked reasonably.

"But…" George wasn't really sure why he was fighting her on this anyway. He already knew he wanted her. Had wanted her ever since she'd unwittingly given him a taste that night long ago... She'd ruined him for other women.

She walked towards him slowly, and stood between his legs, willing him to give in. She had no clue how to go about seducing one's husband but she had promised herself she would try.

"But if I'm not pregnant now…" she breathed softly as she slowly took one of his hands in hers and placed it on her hip. "I only have two weeks to feel like a wife." She continued as she slowly and deliberately bent her left knee alongside his right hip on the sofa so she can straddle him. "You owe me that at least…" She whispered to his ear, letting him feel how much she wanted him.

"You do know we can't use a contraceptive spell until we know for sure…" He whispered back, unable to prevent himself from pulling her closer as his body reacted to her softness settling against his hardness.

His words made her smile in triumph. "Don't worry…" she assured him as she moved to face him so she could look into his eyes directly, "I brought something from the muggle world that works just as well." she added mischievously, just before she closed the distance between their lips to give him a kiss meant to curl his toes and more.

* * *

She had woken up the morning after cuddled against his chest. And instead of pushing her away when he opened his eyes, he had sleepily greeted her with a good morning smile before proceeding to shag the living daylights out of her for most of the day (and night).

It was the best and worst two weeks of Luna's life.

It wasn't just the physical side of it, though that had been off the charts, but they had gone back to talking again…about anything and everything under the sun. She relished each new thing she learned about him and tried not think about the passing of time. But the closer it got to the two-week mark they had agreed upon, the harder it got to pretend her heart wasn't breaking too. She willed him to say he wanted more but he never did. If she had been a little more experienced in relationships, maybe she'd have had the confidence to ask if perhaps she was more than a convenient shag for him, but she wasn't and so she never did either.

And now, now she sat by the tub fighting back tears as what she had known in her heart was confirmed.

Her time was up.

* * *

George was counting the hours till he could reasonably close the shop. He looked at the clock for the nth time, willing the time to move faster.

"You do know it's okay to close the shop early don't you?" Fred's annoying voice broke his reverie.

George groaned at his twin's teasing. "I know. But Luna's not home yet. She went over to have a visit with Ginny." He didn't even bother to deny the reason for wanting to go home early. He smiled at the thought. After such a long time, he finally had a place he could really call home. The last two weeks had been the most amazing in George's life. Luna had been amazing. Not just in bed, though her performance in that department had been off the charts, but also out of it.

"Do you know yet?" Fred asked idly.

"No…" the thought sobered him up.

"I would have thought you'd have done something by now to make sure she was."

George sighed. If it were just up to him, he'd have done away with the use of those muggle contraceptives. But Luna had been adamant at continuing its use.

"Have you told her yet?"

George didn't have to ask what his twin was talking about. Even if Fred was now stuck in a portrait, he still knew how George felt. In truth, he didn't know why he hadn't told her yet. Maybe he was afraid that she didn't feel the same.

"Don't be a git!" Fred as usual knew what he was thinking. "Just read those damned scrolls already!"

He froze in his seat. Of course! The scrolls! "You," George crowed at his twin, "…are a genius!" as he hurriedly unlocked the drawer holding all of her letters to him. Maybe he'd have a clue about her feelings after he'd read them.

* * *

It was already dark by the time he finished reading all of her letters. But he remained where he was. He had foolishly thought he'd find some indication of her feelings for him among those letters. But what he read instead left him feeling small and unworthy. For in those letters he'd found out how his long silence had systematically broken down everything that had made her what she was. And despite the fact that he had fallen in love with the pixie-cut-wearing-sensible-Luna he'd been with these last two weeks, he realized that he had already been in love with the crumple horned snorkack-and-nargle-believing-long-silvery blond-haired Luna of old. The Luna who had worn vegetables for earrings and strung butterbeer corks for a necklace. The Luna who had only thought to save him from himself and ended up leaving behind all that she'd known just so he could live the same life he'd always led. The Luna who had been forced to grow up by herself so he didn't have to.

* * *

"Luna…" he called out as soon as he got to their house, expecting her to meet him. He needed to see her and apologize for his stupidity. He needed to tell her how he felt. He was, however, met by silence. Striding towards the fireplace, he quickly flooed in to see if she was still at Ginny's.

She wasn't there. His sister didn't even know she was supposed to go there. So then he tried the Burrow. His Mum had no clue as well. In desperation he'd tried Ron and Hermione's, only to find she hadn't been there either.

It was several minutes before he thought to check the bedroom. Walking quickly to the closet, he found all of her clothes missing. With heart thumping madly, he went to the bathroom only to find a muggle pregnancy test lying on the counter. With a sinking heart, he read the results.

Negative.

He slid helplessly down to the floor, his back against the wall. He had hoped…

He didn't know how long he sat there before he heard the front door open. She came back! He quickly stood up and ran downstairs to greet her only to skid to a halt as he realized that it was Ginny.

At the look of despair on his face, she asked tremulously, "She's gone isn't she?"

"Do you know where she could have gone?" He asked his sister quietly.

She shook her head as tears spilled from her eyes.

"What is it?" He suddenly thought to ask, "Why are you crying?"

Ginny didn't answer.

"Hey, don't cry. I'll just bring her back" He sought to reassure not only his sister, but himself as well.

"But, how?," She asked forlornly.

"What do you mean how? I'll just go to her place in the States."

"She's not there. I already tried it."

"Well then, we'll just cast a spell to locate her. Her wand…"

Ginny shook her head, crying harder. "We can't…"

"What do you mean…" He was unable to finish the thought as he realized what it was that Ginny had been holding when she came in.

Luna left her wand.


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10. Words I Couldn't Say

A/N: Chapter inspired by a Rascal Flatts song (and remade by Leighton Meester). All recognizable characters are owned by JK Rowling/Scholastic Books. No profit is being made from their use so no copyright infringement is intended. Note that words that are bolded and italicized are part of the song's lyrics while words that are italicized only are flashbacks

Do let me know what you think =)

* * *

George had thought nothing could ever hurt as much as losing his twin. In the aftermath of the war that claimed his twin, he had woken up in cold sweat night after night with images of the various ways that Fred could have died during the war. Each time he would be there trying to save him, and each time he would fail. The guilt he felt at being the one that survived ate at him. It had consumed him and overwhelmed him. Fred's death had devastated him and if he hadn't thought that Fred would kill him again in the afterlife, he'd have offed himself too.

But then came that afternoon when she went to see him. She had woken him up while in the middle of the nightmare and so for the first time since he'd been having that dream, he didn't see Fred die. He'd been embarrassed at first at having been seen by his sister's best friend in such a way but she had been so matter of fact in claiming that nightmares were actually caused by invisible creatures called blubbermares that he'd laughed. For the first time since Fred's death, he'd found himself genuinely laughing. And it had felt good to laugh again.

So instead of methodically killing himself by wasting away, he had resolved to live his life fully in the moment. If he felt like drinking, he would, but never excessively. If he felt the urge, he set about finding a woman to warm his bed. When he wasn't partying with Lee, he was feverishly working on new products to sell at his shop. He found his way at the Burrow when he felt like a break but he never stayed long.

And no matter how busy he was, he would always reserve an hour of each day talking to her, usually just before lunch at the shop. They talked about everything. Fred, her parents, the war, Harry and how much Ginny loved him, anything. He found himself learning about nargles and crumple horned snorkacks and all those other magical creatures only she and her Dad knew about. And if there were moments when the light would catch her in a certain way and he'd started to find himself staring at her longer than was proper – well, he'd just attributed those to hunger and resolved to reschedule their daily talks to after lunch. And when he found himself prolonging the contact whenever she hugged him just before she went back to the Burrow, well he'd attributed it to brotherly affection and would then promptly find himself an attractive and willing, of-age witch to take to bed. And if each of them looked as far removed from her appearance as possible, well, what of it?

At the back of his mind, he had known that acknowledging any sort of attraction for his younger sister's under age best friend would mean that he would have to stop seeing her. So he had denied it. And then that fateful night happened. In truth, Percy would have probably let it go and nobody would have been the wiser, after all, nothing had happened. So why had he sent that patronus to his parents? And therein lay the crux of the matter.

The truth was that, he had wanted something to happen. The fact that it hadn't was more a matter of circumstance than actual volition. Because if Percy hadn't shown up, he was pretty sure he would have hauled her back into bed and had his way with her. And even if he had mustered enough will to actually stop it from happening that night, he knew it would have only been a matter of time. And so he had done the one thing guaranteed to stop it from happening. He called on his parents so they could put a stop to it for him.

Of course, his plan had backfired. Because instead of just carting her off as far as possible from him, they'd forced them to marry instead. And because he was a complete prat and the king of denial, he had promptly blamed her for his own weakness. And instead of making it work as he should have, he had driven her away.

_**In a book, in a box, in the closet**_

The thought of reading her letters in the intervening years had been too painful to contemplate. So he'd hidden them and pretended they didn't exist.

_**In a line, in a song I once heard**_

But sometimes, when he stopped to breathe, he'd remember how she used to hum under her breath when she thought no one was listening.

_**In a moment on a front porch late one June**_

"_I'm here…" she began hesitantly, her bags at her feet._

_He just stood there staring at her in front of their house, unable to move, not quite believing that she was finally there with him, while the memories of the last time they'd stood on that very same porch years before came over him. That day when she'd said goodbye. _

_**In a breath inside a whisper beneath the moon**_

_He had remained standing there long after she'd gone that day five years ago, kicking himself mentally for not asking her to stay. He'd stood on that porch until night fell, and the stars had come out. Then he'd looked up and whispered her name achingly, knowing that his only companion from then on would be her namesake as it hung up there in the sky._

_**There it was at the tips of my fingers**_

"_Luna…" he began as he ran his fingers gently through her hair while they lay in bed together._

_**There it was on the tip of my tongue**_

"_Hmm?" she asked him sleepily, eyes closed as her body lay half across his, arms between their bodies._

"_I …." love you. He stopped before he could complete the thought._

_**There you were and I had never been that far**_

_He sighed in relief when he realized she'd fallen asleep._

_**There it was the whole world wrapped inside my arms**_

_So instead of the words, he just wrapped his arms tightly around her and dropped a soft kiss on her head. _

_**And I let it all slip away**_

If he had been more honest with himself then, he would have saved them both a lot of heartache. But then that's why they called it hindsight, isn't it?

He was so stupid.

_**What do I do now that you're gone**_

_**No back up plan, no second chance**_

_**And no one else to blame**_

_**All I can hear in the silence that remains**_

_**Are the words I couldn't say**_

Like moving pictures, the memories crowded inside his head.

_**There's a rain that will never stop fallin'**_

"_What are you doing?" He had asked her one day when he saw her outside the shop dancing in the rain, long hair hanging down her back with her feet bare._

"_Trying to cheer up the sun…" She'd answered without missing a beat. "Daddy said that when it rains, it means the sun was crying because it was sad."_

"_Well …" he'd begun, unable to come up with a suitable reply so he could get back to the shop without hurting her feelings. ._

_But then she'd walked up to him and had taken his hands_ _and asked him dreamily_, "_Dance with me…" _

_**There's a wall that I tried to take down**_

"_It's okay if you want to cry…" she'd offered solemnly as she sat next to him when they'd visited Fred's grave. "I won't look."_

"_Big boys don't cry…" He'd answered her gruffly fighting the urge to do just that._

_She must have sensed this because instead of waiting for him to do so, she'd pulled his head so it rested on her shoulders and without looking at him, she had held his hand. _

_**What I should have said just wouldn't pass my lips**_

"_Thanks." He'd mumbled at her once, instead of the three words he wanted to say. _

_She'd turned her head to look at him and smiled as they lay there in the grass, watching the clouds go by. _

_**So I held back and now we've come to this**_

"_Tomorrow…" he'd promised himself. "Tomorrow, I'll tell her," thinking he had more time. _

_**And it's too late now**_

He absent-mindedly ran his hands across her wand.

_**What do I do now that you're gone**_

_**No back up plan, no second chance**_

_**And no one else to blame**_

Why had he waited so long?

_**All I can hear in the silence that remains**_

_**Are the words I couldn't say**_

It was three simple words.

_**I should have found the way to tell you how I felt**_

"_What?" He'd asked when he caught her staring at him._

"_I…" She'd begun…but he cut her off with a kiss. Afraid of what she was going to say. "Nothing" she'd whispered after._

_He'd stared at her eyes trying to discern what her thoughts were but failing miserably. He'd wanted to tell her then. But she'd turned her head away before he could muster the courage to say it._

_**Now the only one I'm telling is myself**_

"I love you." He finally whispered to himself.

_**What do I do now that you're gone**_

_**No back up plan, no second chance**_

_**And no one else to blame**_

Only, she was no longer there.

_**All I can hear in the silence that remains**_

_**Are the words I couldn't say**_

Now he was left with nothing to go on to find her.

_**What do I do? **_

_**What do I say? **_

And the pain he had felt at Fred's loss dwindled in comparison to the pain he now felt at her disappearance.

_**And no one else to blame**_

_**All I can hear in the silence that remains**_

_**Are the words I couldn't say**_

And no magic on earth could help him find her.


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11:Fade to Black

Luna was running late for class when she felt it. Eyes widening in surprise, she fumbled into her pocket to find the source of heat. She slowed down to a stop when the light turned red and took the time to look down at the gold coin in her hand in confusion. Since the war had ended, there hadn't been any use for the DA galleon anymore and so she had thought it safe to take with her when she left. It was the sole reminder she had of the world she had left behind.

Why had it warmed up suddenly? Surely the DA hadn't been activated, had it? Squinting to read the message along the coin's edge, she struggled to make sense of it all. She had started to summon her wand so she could apparate when she remembered she no longer had one. She sighed in frustration and wished for the nth time that Hermione had a cellphone. Although raised in the muggle world, Hermione had chosen to live among wizards fully after her marriage to Ron and had forsaken all muggle technology for fear that Ron might have an accident with them. She looked at the galleon again, unable to make up her mind about what to do. Was she really contemplating going back for this?

Surely this was a mistake, wasn't it? Voldemort was long dead and to the best of her knowledge, which was very limited at best these days she had to admit, there were only a handful of Death Eaters that had yet to be apprehended, none of whom posed enough of a threat to necessitate the activation of Dumbledore's Army again.

But what if it wasn't?

She was so distracted by her thoughts that she didn't take the time to look both ways before she accelerated again when the traffic light turned green and so didn't see that a car had been careening down the road on the right trying to beat the red light.

She heard the loud crash first before she felt the impact of her car hitting another.

Then everything went black.

* * *

"Have you heard anything from her?" Hermione asked Ginny as they waited for their husbands to meet them for lunch.

Ginny just shook her head. "What about him? Has he owled Ron recently?"

Hermione sighed. It had been months since Luna walked away from their world to lose herself among muggles. "Two weeks ago. He's in Sweden."

"Sweden?" Ginny asked.

"Apparently, he's hoping to get pictures of crumple horned snorkacks during their migration." Hermione explained, her expression belying her thoughts about the soundness of that idea.

Ginny sighed. She had long ceased trying to figure out George's erratic behavior following Luna's departure. "I think maybe he's hoping he'll find Luna there somehow…"

Hermione didn't disagree with her. The fact that George hied himself off periodically to parts unknown in a quest to document the existence of creatures only theLovegoods had believed in previously led credence to that claim, even if, for all intents and purposes, Luna had ceased to do so and had in fact forsaken anything and everything magical in her life.

"Is there really no way to locate her magically?" Ginny asked her friend and sister-in-law.

"I've been researching like crazy about it and have yet to find one. Everything I've come up so far involved having her carry something magical with her." Hermione grumbled in frustration. "Are you sure they didn't get wedding rings?"

"I think George would have said something earlier if they had…"

They both stared glumly at their drinks.

"Hermione!" A familiar voice called out to them.

The two witches turned towards the voice and Ginny asked, "Hi Seamus, what's up?"

"Hi Ginny! Well, I just wanted to return this to Hermione." He offered the DA galleon back to the the bushy-haired witch. "Thanks for letting me borrow it."

"You're welcome. Hope the demo went well." Hermione answered as she accepted the coin.

"Oh it did. My DADA students were sufficiently impressed." Seamus chortled, "Do you mind?" He asked as he sat down across from them. "It's hot out there and I need a drink."

"No, go ahead." Ginny shook her head. "So what's up at Hogwarts these days?"

* * *

The young doctor was about to leave the hospital when they brought her in.

"Car accident, BP's 100 over 80, no outward signs of trauma except for the gash on her forehead but she lost consciousness when we got her out of the car…" the EMT recited urgently as she walked alongside the girl on the gurney.

"Was anyone with her?" He asked as he took charge, noting the blood all over the victim face and forehead.

"No…other driver is in the next ambulance. ID says she's.."

"BP's dropping Dr. Thomas and she's stopped breathing," the nurse shouted, already starting CPR and preventing the EMT from finishing her sentence.

"Get the crash cart in here!" the doctor shouted as they frantically worked on the girl. "You!" he ordered an aide, "Call the next of kin," before directing his attention to the team.

"She's back…" the nurse shouted after they'd shocked the girl with the defibrillator.

"Ok, let's get her to X ray and have an OR standing by…"

* * *

Hours after the surgery, the weary doctor came out of the OR and went to admissions. "The girl who was just brought in, did you manage to get a hold of the next of kin?" He asked. "And did the EMTs bring any of her belongings?" In the initial confusion, he had failed to take in what the victim looked like with all the blood, but in the OR, he had realized who she looked like. She had a different colored hair though so he needed confirmation.

"She didn't have any other identification except the license…," the admissions officer answered regretfully. "And nothing of hers was brought in except this, apparently she was holding on to this when she got hit…" she added, taking out a resealable bag containing a driver's license and a gold coin. "Do you want me to find more information about her family?"

At seeing the coin, the doctor snatched the bag and frantically read the name on the license. "No need." He managed to answer distractedly "I know her."

* * *

George was sitting as still as possible from his perch atop the tree he had chosen to wait for his prey. He had been in this position for close to an hour now and the sun had long set. But he knew that he was close to reaching his goal.

He was just readying the camera when he heard a scurrying a couple of feet away. "This is it…" he thought, "proof!"

If someone had told him years ago that he would be off on a quest to prove the existence of crumple horned snorkacks right now, he would have laughed and asked them what drug they were on. But in the last couple of months, it had become his obsession. He knew it was irrational. But somehow he figured, if he could only find proof that at least one of those creatures Luna had believed in did exist, then there was a chance that she'd be back. That he'd be able to find her and tell her how he felt. So he had to find those creatures. He just had to!

He was creeping slowly and steadily further along the tree branch while holding his breath in anticipation when it happened. He felt a constriction somewhere in his chest and he suddenly couldn't breathe.

Before he could process why he suddenly felt what he had, he heard two loud cracks behind him.

"George!" Ron's voice called him urgently, followed closely by Harry.

And just like that George knew why he felt like he was suffocating earlier. He floated down to face his brother and friend, "It's Luna isn't it? Something's happened to her?"

* * *

A/N: Sorry if my ER dialogue leaves a lot to be desired =) Hope you keep reading though. Oh, and feedback will be appreciated.


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Just Because

George could have hugged his sister's ex when he saw him, thanking his lucky stars that the former had chosen to go back to the muggle world following the war. "Dean! How is she?" He asked urgently. He'd run full speed as soon as he got to the door of the hospital, not bothering to wait for Harry, who had flown with him to Boston (both to make sure that he got to Mass Gen safely and also to help him navigate his way in the muggle world).

"She had a ruptured spleen and a nasty gash on her forehead." The ex-Griffyndor explained. "I'm sorry I didn't realize at first who she was…" he added, before whispering so no one but George would hear "or I'd have taken her to a wizard hospital."

"But she's okay?" George asked, his knees going weak at the thought that he might never have known about her accident if fate hadn't thought to ensure that Luna was taken to the same hospital where Dean worked.

"Physically, she went through the operation okay. She's now in a stable condition." Dean sought to reassure the older man as he noted his pale demeanor.

"Physically?" George asked worriedly at how the other man had phrased his response.

Dean sighed. "We didn't see anything in her scans that could possibly cause it but…"

"Cause what?" It was Harry who asked, having finally caught up with his brother-in-law and former Quidditch teammate.

"Let's go see her, shall we?" was the only answer they got.

* * *

George didn't know what to expect when they opened the door to Luna's room. He braced himself for the worst, expecting her to be comatose or in a really bad shape, and was surprised to find her sitting up in bed looking none the worse for wear, save for the bandage on her forehead.

At the sound of the door opening, Luna focused her gaze on the three men who entered the room, zeroing on the one wearing the white coat. "Hi Doctor!" she greeted him brightly.

"How are you today Luna?" Dean asked as he walked towards her.

"I'm feeling much better now, thanks." She had replied, ignoring the other two gentlemen with him.

"Do you know who these people are?" Dean asked her gently.

At the question, Luna refocused her gaze at the two men and her brow knit in confusion, before asking, "Should I?"

* * *

Dean had called it retrograde amnesia. Despite no evidence of trauma seen in her brain scans, Luna had no memory of her past. And because of the lack of physiological signs of trauma, he couldn't hazard a prognosis of when she would regain her memory, if at all. George didn't know whether to be happy or sad about this. A part of him was glad that she didn't remember the reason why she was living halfway across the world from him and so had easily accepted his assertion that they were married and had allowed him to take care of her at the hospital as she recovered from the surgery. But because she didn't really remember him, she had been understandably skittish and shied away from physical contact so even kissing her on her hand or cheek had been out of the question.

At Dean's recommendation, they had both decided that she go back to Britain with him, both in the hopes that familiar surroundings would help jog her memory and also so she'd have someone to take care of her as she fully recuperated from her physical injuries.

"How is she?" Ginny came to the house as soon as she heard they had returned.

"She's asleep now. The trip tired her." George answered tiredly.

"How are you holding up?" She asked worriedly, noting her brother's pallor.

He shrugged. "Getting better everyday I guess."

"She really doesn't remember anything?"

George shook his head in regret. "What am I gonna do, Gins?" He asked his sister helplessly.

"Do you love her?" Ginny asked bluntly.

He looked at his sister in surprise. "What?"

"Why am I even asking? Of course, you love her." Ginny shook her head. "You went looking for crumple headed snorkacks for crying out loud…"

"You think?" He laughed at his sister's assertion. "And that's crumple-horned snorkack, thank you very much." He added for good measure.

"Then stop moping! She's here isn't she? She's accepted that you're her husband, so that's half the battle won…" Ginny explained reasonably.

"But what if she never remembers?"

"Then you make new memories with her. Better ones." She told him pointedly. "Ones where you've always loved her…"

"I always knew you were smarter than you looked…" He teased her ruffling her hair as he took in the soundness of her advice.

"Har, har…very funny..." she grumbled.

"Seriously Gins…" his voice choked, "Thanks."

"Yeah, yeah, I love you too." She smiled at him impishly. "Just… don't mess up again ok?"

"I'll try…" He promised before he gave her a one-armed hug.

* * *

Luna took in her surroundings as she sat up in bed, having woken up just minutes before. He must have carried her in here when she fell asleep on the ride over because she didn't remember walking or getting into the house. She bit down her disappointment that everything remained unfamiliar to her.

She rolled over so she could stand up when she had it. A little wisp of memory about this bed…how she'd been wrapped up in these sheets. She stilled her movements hoping the memory solidifies, but just like that it was gone again. Sighing loudly, she stood up and tried to locate her shoes. Looking under the bed carefully, mindful of her stitches, she was assailed once again by another fleeting memory. But this time, she wasn't in this house but in some old drafty castle and wearing a robe of some sort…

"What are you doing out of bed?" A voice grumbled behind her exasperatedly.

She sat back on the floor to look at the owner of the voice as he came into the room. "Oh…I was looking for my shoes."

"You should have called me…" He answered gruffly as he bent down to pick her up and deposited her back onto the bed.

He was already pushing her shirt up to inspect the bandages on her abdomen when she gathered her wits back about her.

"Good…no bleeding." He seemed to be talking to himself, while running a fingertip across the bandage lightly as he knelt beside the bed.

She looked down at his bent head and felt herself soften. He looked so worried that she couldn't help but run her own fingers through his hair to reassure him.

He looked up in surprise at her movements and their eyes met.

"Get a grip, George!" he thought to himself, "Don't even think about kissing her." He fought the urge to close that distance between their lips as her eyes continued to bore into his.

But then her tongue poked out to lick her lower lip and he felt his defenses crumble a little.

"I…" he began to say but stopped as his mind blanked out at her continued stroking of his hair. "We…"

And then she smiled at him expectantly and whatever was left of his control crumbled completely.

* * *

Luna's heart thudded painfully in her chest as she saw his internal struggle. While she had been unsure as to how to act around him, given her lack of memory, she had been wondering why he'd been keeping his distance physically. And why he had yet to kiss her. Weren't married couples supposed to kiss? Maybe if they kissed, she'd remember hi…

She was unable to finish her thought when he suddenly leaned over to take her lips captive with his.

* * *

George kissed her like a man possessed, all caution forgotten as the worry and remorse and relief he had felt in the last couple of months struck him. Unconsciously, his hold on her tightened as his lips drank from hers like a man drowning. He moved his left hand from around her waist to her nape so he can deepen the kiss hoping desperately that she doesn't stop him. And then he was pushing her back to lie on the bed and he was moving over her. It was her whimper of pain that broke through his haze and he remembered the stitches on her abdomen.

"Bollocks! I'm sorry Luna, I'm such a prat…" He cursed himself for his stupidity before apologizing to her profusely and moving off her. "Did I hurt you?" he asked quickly as he checked her bandages again, almost expecting to see blood soaking through. "Oh Thank Merlin!" He heaved a giant sigh of relief at seeing no sign of anything red amidst the white cloth. His relief was short lived however as he felt her abdomen contracting. Shite! Was she crying? He looked up cautiously, almost fearfully, but was surprised to note that she was actually laughing.

Luna laughed harder at George's comical expression, mouth opening and closing in confusion.

"What's so funny?" He finally managed to ask.

"You…" she answered, still laughing.

"I thought I'd hurt you…" He told her grumpily.

"Well you did…" She finally managed to control her mirth as she sat up. "Just a little," she hastened to assure him when she saw the worry in his eyes.

He couldn't help but sigh. "Too soon, huh?," unable to hide the disappointment in his voice.

She nodded meekly. "I'm sor…"

"No…please, don't…" He stopped her mid-apology, "I should be the one saying sorry for rushing you. I know it can't be easy, I mean, I'm practically a stranger."

It was her turn to sigh heavily. "It's just… strange" she explained. "My mind draws a blank when I look at you…but your touch is familiar…" she admitted shyly.

He couldn't help the surge of happiness he felt at hearing her words.

"We probably snogged like crazy before huh?" She blushed as she asked this.

George debated with himself on whether to tell her the truth, but then Ginny's words came to him. New memories. "Oh absolutely…" he grinned. "We also shagged like mad too…" he added mischievously just to get a rise out of her.

Instead of answering, she leaned forward to kiss him lightly.

"What was that for?" He asked in surprise.

"Just because…" was all she said.

* * *

A/N: Ok., I know the amnesia plotline ain't exactly original but there's a point to this ... I think =) Hope you all continue reading anyway (all 3 of you LOL).

Oh and thanks for the feedback, really appreciate it. c',)


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Suddenly It's (Black) Magic (Woman)…

A/N: Okay…I was planning to write a different chapter, I really was. But George had a mind of his own..

Still, it does move the story along…a little bit .. I think. =) Do let me know if I should control George or let him have free reign. LOL

* * *

George was in the middle of showering when he heard her scream. Fearing the worst, he summoned his wand and apparated quickly to the bedroom, unmindful of the fact that he was wet and soapy and very much naked.

"Luna!" He shouted in desperation, wand at a ready. He skidded to a halt at the sight of Luna huddled by the bed, staring fearfully at the house elf who had, understandably looked flummoxed at her reaction to his appearance.

"Shit!" He muttered inelegantly as he remembered that he had forgotten to tell Luna about her true nature…their true nature.

The house elf scratched the lone curl atop his head before turning to George to apologize profusely, "Begging your pardon Master George, but me not know that Mistress Luna be back."

"It's okay Curly," He reassured the elf, "You can take the day off….I'll take care of Luna today."

The elf bowed to George and answered, "As you wish Master…" apparating quickly, but not before muttering inelegantly under his breath, "Oi! Curly did not need to see Master's bit parts…"

George didn't think Luna's protruberant eyes could be any wider than when she's seen the elf disappear with an audible crack, but was surprised to note it had grown even bigger when she shifted them to him, having also heard the elf's muttered imprecation. Cursing himself, he conjured a towel to cover said parts, pride stung at them being referred to as 'bit.'

"What was that? And how did you do that?" Luna's question brought him out of his internal rant. "Oh my goodness…"she groaned loudly, "I've gone and bloody lost my mind completely, haven't I?"

If the situation wasn't serious, George would have laughed at her comical expression. "No…" he sighed. "I'll…just, let me finish my shower and I'll explain everything, okay?"

Luna could only nod in agreement.

* * *

"So…you're telling me that you're a magician?" Luna asked, brows knitting in confusion, unconsciously running her hands along the pillow in her lap.

"Wizard." George corrected automatically.

"I see." Luna nodded as though in understanding, albeit her countenance indicated otherwise. "And the creature I just saw?"

"…Is an elf. He comes in to clean the house and prepare food…" He explained, not knowing what else to say. He noted the changes in Luna's facial expression as she struggled to take in everything he said.

Finally, "Can…can you show me what else you can do?" she asked him curiously.

George sighed in relief at her seeming acceptance and cast a simple spell.

Her eyes lit in fascination as little canaries magically appeared above her head, chirping loudly. "Oooh!" she mumbled in awe. "Do another one." She requested, clapping her hand like a child in anticipation.

The birds disappeared. "May I?" he asked for the pillow in her lap. At her nod, he quickly transfigured it to become feather, which he used to tickle her cheek.

She giggled at the move, and caught the feather in her left hand, before stroking it softly with her right one. "Amazing…" she whispered to herself.

"You can do it too…" He finally told her. At her look of surprise, he quickly stood up to open the drawer by the bedside table and took out a box. He lifted the lid and turned it towards her.

"What is that?" She asked, looking at the item inside the box.

"Your wand."

* * *

Luna sat by the tub unmoving. It had long been filled up, steam rising from it, and waiting for her. But her mind was in a jumble. Everything had all sounded too fantastic to her and she's still in daze. George had spent the rest of the morning and afternoon telling her about their heritage, and showing her how to work her wand. It now rested on the counter by the sink. While it had been fun initially to try out some spells using the wand, it felt so foreign in her hand and wondered why that was so. If she were a witch, as George had insisted she was, then why did it feel alien to her?

She had so many questions but she knew it would take time for George to answer all of them. Shaking off her thoughts, she quickly disrobed and sank down into the water…gasping a little at the pain in her abdomen, her stitches had started to scab but it still hurt whenever the muscles were pulled. She lay her head on the rim of the tub, where George had thoughtfully placed a small pillow, trying to relax her body, if not her mind.

She must have dozed off because the next thing she knew, strong arms were lifting her up and out of the tub and a towel had been wrapped around her. Before she could even formulate another thought, he had moved her to the bed, slipped the towel off and was trying to get her into a nightgown. She wanted to protest and tell him she could do it herself…but she felt so lethargic and he felt so warm and comfortable that she made a sound of protest when he tried to lift her head so he could get the nightgown over it. He finally gave up when she refused to remove her arms around his chest.

* * *

George was in hell. Or maybe heaven, he couldn't really tell.

The sun had just set and she was in bed.

With him.

Wrapped around him.

Naked.

It wouldn't have been so bad if she didn't keep wiggling.

Against him.

Naked.

He tried desperately to not let it get to him. He really did. He distracted himself by imagining ugly little buggers like gnomes and goblins and even that ghoul that used to live in the attic at the Burrow…that had spattergoit!

Nope. Didn't work.

He tried extricating himself from her arms. Epic fail! Because instead of being free, he'd ended up getting more entangled when she anchored her legs over his hip, knees landing precariously close to his…uh… man bits. And he was subjected to even more of her.

Naked.

F*ck his life!

It didn't help that he had taken off his shirt just before he attempted to dress her in a nightgown, after it had gotten wet when he picked her out of the tub. So now, her soft skin was pressed against his. Her heat… burning a hole in his right side. And if he moved just a little bit to his side, he can almost feel her nip..

"Aaargh…" he cursed silently.

He thanked Merlin for small favors because his pajama bottoms offered a modicum of protection so that his man bits and his right hip didn't come in direct contact with her …

"Bloody everlasting hell!" he almost moaned aloud. This was pure torture.

He finally managed to regulate his breathing after some effort. Finally! His eyes were starting to drift close when suddenly…

"Oh sweet Merlin…" his thoughts came out strangled.

Her right hand had suddenly moved south to rest right above his pajama bottoms. That rested low in his hips. Very low.

"F*ck, f*ck, f*ck!" he cursed as he felt himself stirring once again.

He closed his eyes in an effort to block everything out. But that only served to heighten his senses and the memories of the last time he had her in his arms with his eyes closed replayed like a silent movie in his head.

He was assaulted by her scent.

Her heat.

Her taste.

"To hell with it…" He finally muttered in defeat. And before he could stop himself, he was rolling both of them over, his lips, like a heat-seeking-missile, moving to claim hers.


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14. Georg(ia)e on My Mind

Luna's mind drifted as she relaxed on the grass under the giant tree in front of their house. She was trying to focus on the book lying in front of her, "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,' by Newt Scamander, a gift from George, which according to him, she used to find fascinating. She had opened the book intending to find information on some of the creatures that he had said she used to believe in. But there had been no mention of nargles or crumple horned snorkacks or wrackspurts nor blibbering humdingers. She closed the book in frustration. both at the lack of information as well as her inability to really concentrate.

It's been weeks after their return now, but she had yet to remember the life she had before the accident. Although sometimes, she had flashes of memories but they were disjointed at best, without any context, and so they'd almost always left her feeling confused. Only George made sense to her. He was the anchor that held her down when she felt herself drifting and a lifesaver when she felt herself drowning.

George. Her husband. She couldn't contain the small shiver she always got whenever she realized he was actually hers. She smiled to herself as she thought that moment of intimacy between them that first night. Despite waking up to his wonderful kisses, nothing had happened. Much. Mostly due to the fact that they had been interrupted by the (un)timely arrival of his family.

She sighed as she remembered how difficult it had been facing his family. Oh, they had all been welcoming and warm, but they had all been strangers to her. She still remembered the look of hurt that Ginny had looked when she had stared at her blankly that first time. Part of her had wanted to lie and say she did remember. That she remembered that she was...is her best friend. But how can you fake something like that? So she stuck close to George, seeking the reassurance that his touch gave her.

It had been worse when they'd gone to visit her parents' graves. She had been expecting to be overcome with emotions, waiting for tears to come, something...anything, but… she had felt nothing. She often found herself wondering about that. At first she had thought that maybe she and her parents didn't have a close relationship. But George had assured her that that wasn't the case at all, and giving her an old copy of "The Quibbler," the magazine that her father had published and that she, apparently supported and read avidly.

In contrast, her spell casting abilities had improved somewhat, due largely to George's patience in teaching her the basics. She still didn't feel comfortable using her wand, but there is something to be said for the convenience of using magic to do things. Oh and she had also gotten used to Curly's on and off appearance. She actually enjoyed his company truth be told. Maybe because he was someone who didn't know her before and so, had no expectations as to how she should or would have acted at any given moment

Strangely enough, George, despite being the one who had known her the most intimately, treated her with the same lack of expectation as the elf – as though he too was meeting her for the first time. And so instead of dwelling on her past and what she can't remember about it, she found herself more often than not thinking about him and their future.

Idly, she thought about sending him a message at the shop – he had finally agreed to start working again after she had reassured him that she'd be fine on her own during the day. She had gotten quite adept at casting a patronus, something he'd been a little miffed about, saying it figured that even without her memories, she still learned the spell faster than he had the first time around. She supposed it was something your body never forgets…like riding a bike…or swimming…or making love…

She sighed loudly, in frustration this time, over the fact that they had yet to do it. Make love, that is, instead of make out, which of course, they had indulged in quite a lot. But she wanted more. Of all things that confused her about her current predicament, that wasn't one of them. She rather thought that doing it would probably help her remember…maybe not everything, but at least remember him and their life together. But despite her lack of resistance, he'd always stopped. She didn't really know how he managed that seeing as how he always looked to be in pain when he does. Whenever she asked him why, he'd just pull her closer and kiss her forehead, and tell her to go to sleep.

Finally giving up on her attempt to read, she stood up and walked purposefully back to the house. Maybe she should have asked for a book about seducing one's husband instead. She thought maybe that would have been more useful for her purposes.

* * *

George meanwhile, was unaware of the direction his wife's thoughts had taken.

"I can't. Not yet." He answered plaintively at Lee's suggestion that he go home early.

Lee looked at him in surprise. "Oh? I would have thought you'd be in a rush to go home."

He sighed in frustration. "I should be…but I can't."

Lee had to laugh at his friend's disgruntled expression. "Why, not?".

"Bollocks, Lee! I'm going bonkers being around her at night." He groaned loudly.

"What?" Lee asked in surprise.

"I just want so badly to jump her bones!" He ran a frustrated hand through his hair.

"TMI buddy!" Lee complained, laughing , "TMI."

"Well I do." George moaned in aggravation.

"So why don't you?" Lee asked. "You're married anyway."

"She's just…she's vulnerable right now. I don't want to push her…"

"Oi!" Lee groaned in sympathy. "So you can't even…you know, kiss her?"

George blushed at the question. "Uhm…well….he have made out…" He admitted. Normally, he wouldn't have kissed and told, but he was desperate.

"Well that's good right?"

"Actually…I don't know about that. It just makes me want it more. Kinda like chocolate frogs, you don't want to stop with just a bite. You need to eat the whole thing…"

Lee cringed at the mental image. "So what's stopping you?"

"She doesn't even remember me…not really. What kind of dodgy blighter would I be if I did that?"

"Well…Have you tried using a pensieve to help her remember?" Lee suggested.

"Harry had suggested that actually…" George admitted reluctantly.

"And?" Lee prompted.

George didn't answer for the longest time. How can he explain that he was afraid to. He knew he was being selfish. She deserved to know the whole truth. But what if she left again after seeing them? Could he in all good conscience withhold some memories and only show her the good ones – the ones in which he hadn't been a total prat to her and driven her away. Wasn't selective memory worse than no memory at all, if such memories only brought pain anyway?

Ginny's words came back to him. _"Then you make new memories with her. Better ones. Ones where you've always loved her…"_


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: I'm Yours

A/N: Ok. So George and Luna wanted to play again. Didn't want to write this yet but they wouldn't cooperate otherwise – so here it is. Short & sweet (I hope).

* * *

"Luna…" George called out tentatively as he opened the bedroom door.

"I'm here…" her voice came from the bathroom.

He took off his robe as he walked inside the darkened room and placed his wand by the bedside table. He then magically sent the robe to the washroom downstairs for the elf to deal with tomorrow. He was searching for a pair of pajamas in the wardrobe when he heard the bathroom door finally open.

"Curly has left our dinner downstairs, do you want to eat now…" he began as, with the pajama bottoms clutched in his hand, he closed the wardrobe and turned to go to the bathroom. "Or lat…"

The words got stuck in his throat.

For framed by the bathroom door she stood, wearing the sheerest of nightgowns. The hem of which, ended quite well above her knees. Her hair, which had grown to shoulder length and was back to its old silvery color, took on an unearthly glow with the light behind her.

Unable to move or say anything, he could only follow her movement with his eyes as she walked towards him smiling, and whispered "Bathroom's all yours," just before she kissed his cheek.

He was instantly assailed by her scent and his body couldn't help but react at the thought that she'd just had a shower.

Swallowing convulsively, his voice came out in a croak when he said, "Thanks."

* * *

Luna couldn't help but fidget as she waited for him to finish his shower. She had decided earlier that she had had enough of George's chivalry. Her mind might not yet recall the where and why and how of knowing him, but her body did. She wanted him. Her senses craved him. And her heart…well, she figured, it too remembered. How else could she explain why she felt so at ease with him? Why she was so at peace with the thought of 'being' with him?

Her musings were cut short by the sound of the shower being turned off. Squaring her shoulders unconsciously, she arranged herself on the bed provocatively in anticipation.

* * *

George took a deep breath before he opened the bathroom door. He had taken a very cold shower in an effort to put his wayward senses under control. He truly did. But her image haunted him. So he ended up having to give himself relief (as quietly as possible) while cursing his own sense of chivalry.

He was surprised to see that the bedroom was still in the dark. _Maybe she'd gone down? _He shrugged and went to get his wand by the bedside table. He was about to pick it up when he noticed her...

...lying on her side, her head supported by her left hand, elbow digging into the bed, her right arm lying on her side.

His gaze slowly traveled from her legs …

…to her thighs,

…her hips,

…her waist,

…her chest,

...her neck,

…her chin,

…her lips, which he noticed were slightly parted,

...her nose,

…and finally, her eyes.

Her protuberant, luminous eyes, which reflected the moonlight filtering from outside the window,

…were looking straight at him.

Desire slammed powerfully into his gut as he saw the heat reflected there. His lower body stirred and goosebumps spread over his arms and chest as their gazes locked.

He fought for control as his mind warred with his body.

* * *

Sensing his inner turmoil, she moved to help him decide.

Lifting her right hand, she slowly ran her middle finger upwards from her thigh to her hips, taking the edge of her nightgown with it so he could see just what she had on underneath.

* * *

George's eyes followed the movement hungrily, need coursing through his veins. His lower body, which had reacted the minute he saw her on the bed, now started to throb quite painfully as he saw what she had on underneath.

Black.

Lace.

Tied daintily at her hips.

Just like that, his body won.

And he pounced.

* * *

Luna's breath came out in a gasp as he quickly joined her on the bed, hand moving to touch her and turn them over so she was lying on her back, his body covering hers.

"Last chance to change your mind…" he growled in her ear as he bent his head towards her, his fingers hovering by her hip, thumb underneath the string of her knickers.

In answer, she drew him closer, and whispered, "Kiss me…"

That was her last coherent thought.

* * *

Gossamer silk was ripped,

Black lace shredded,

White linen flew.

Striped cotton pushed down and off.

* * *

Luna was sinking and floating.

His smell,

His heat…

Engulfed her.

His hands,

His fingers...

Set her on fire.

His lips.

His teeth.

His tongue.

Tasted,

Devoured…

Every inch of her.

His moans.

His groans.

Made her shiver…

…shudder in response.

And when he finally, finally, claimed her…

She splintered,

…shattered.

Was branded.

Owned.

His.

* * *

George was drowning and flying.

Her scent.

Her essence…

Overwhelmed him.

Her strokes,

Her caresses...

Set him aflame.

Her kisses,

Her nibbles,

Her licks…

Savored,

Consumed…

Every bit of it.

Her whimpers,

Her sighs…

Made him shake,

…tremble in her arms.

And when she finally, finally let him take her…

He felt whole,

…complete.

Was marked.

Possessed.

Hers.


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16. With a Little Help From My Friends

**A/N: Sorry for the late and somewhat lame update. Traveling not only took a toll on my body but it seems to have affected my muse as well. Oh well, I will try to do better =) This is unbeta'd so do forgive typos and grammatical slips when you find them. **

**Oh and if you haven't read it yet – I posted a one-shot GL fic before I took that plane ride last week titled "Thinking of You." Feedback is much appreciated of course.**

* * *

Luna stared apprehensively at the white, mist-like substance swirling inside a basin-like receptacle that had carved runes and strange symbols around it. George had called it a pensieve and he had suggested that they use it to help her remember. At first, she really didn't want to try it but hey had talked about it and had decided, she would have a session with each of their friends so they coud share with her their memories.

"Ready?" It was Ginny facing her.

At her nod, the red-haired witch slowly tapped her wand on her head and Luna shivered as she saw a white mist-like substance float out from Ginny's temples and attach itself to the other girl's wand. Slowly, her friend drew it out and down towards the pensieve. Breathing deeply, Luna forced herself to look into the swirling mist. She felt a pull and before she knew it she was looking at her 14-year-old self talking with Ginny while inside a train compartment.

"_Hi Luna," Ginny said. "Is it okay if we take these seats."__1_

Luna took in her appearance. She had straggly, waist-length, dirty-blond hair then. She spaced out for a moment to wonder why and when she decided to cut her hair and change its color. Refocusing her attention to the scene before her, she saw her young self, holding on to "The Quibbler" upside-down and trying to peek over it at a young Harry Potter. Curiosity piqued, she listened intently to the conversation.

George paced agitatedly outside as Ginny sat with Luna and Hermione with the pensieve. Although he had initially thought it best not to use the pensieve to help Luna remember, in the end, his conscience got the better of him. Every time he looked into her eyes, he died just a little at the blind trust he saw in them and so there had been no choice. Not really.

* * *

"How did it go?" George asked as soon as Ginny and Hermione got out of the bedroom. "Is she okay?"

"She seemed to take it well." It was Hermione who answered.

"She said she wanted to rest now." Ginny added.

"I see…"

"Harry and Ron are taking time off work tomorrow to sit with her."

"So she still wants to continue then?" George wasn't quite sure if he wanted them to say yes or no.

"Yes."

"And Neville?"

"He's sent word that he will be by this week…"

"How far along did you get?" He asked.

"Just during our Hogwarts days…."

"And we…well we really didn't have anything to share about your marriage…." Hermione added awkwardly.

George froze at his sister-in-law's words. "I…"

"It's going to be okay…" Ginny sought to reassure her brother.

Somehow, George didn't think so.

* * *

Luna sat in the darkness waiting for George to come home. She had just finished another pensieve session with Ginny and she had a lot of questions. Although she had learned quite a bit about her past – especially her time at Hogwarts – the main thing she really wanted to know more about is how she had ended up marrying George and why she was in the States when she had the accident. But it seemed that even with the collective memories of her friends – Ginny, Hermione, Ron, Harry and Neville – she still knew next to nothing about her marriage before her accident.

She had asked Ginny about it but her normally helpful and talkative friend didn't quite know how to answer. Ron hadn't been much help either. And that bothered her. A lot. How come George's brother and sister didn't even have memories of their wedding day? She had considered asking Molly and Arthur, but she was still not comfortable talking to them, much less asking them for their memories.

So she waited for George to offer to show her his memories, but so far, he had yet to do so. And because he hadn't offered, she began to have doubts about the whole thing. Were they even really married? She didn't even have a ring. She had just blindly believed what he said because she had felt immediately comfortable with him. But just because her body remembered his, didn't necessarily mean that they had in fact been married. Maybe they had just been lovers who had broken up – and that was why she had been by herself in the States when she had the accident? Then she laughed at her foolish thought. Of course they were married! Surely his parents wouldn't have gone with an elaborate scheme to fool her. And even if they had, she couldn't really see the point.

She supposed she could just let things be. After all, it wasn't like she was unhappy with George. On the contrary, she was very happy. They had grown closer and she would be the first to admit that they were very compatible in and out of the bedroom. What does it matter if she didn't remember the hows and whys and hows of being married to him?

It shouldn't. But it did. Much as she wanted it not to, it did matter.

* * *

"Hey! What are you doing sitting in the dark?" George asked as he came into the bedroom.

"You're home!" Luna smiled at her husband as he bent down to give her a kiss.

"Sorry for being late – the shop was bustling today." He explained as he sat down next to her on the bed.

"It's quite alright." She gave him a one armed hug.

"How did it go with Ginny today?"

"Oh…" She didn't quite know how to go about asking him about her concerns.

"That bad, huh?," He teased.

She laughed a little. "No, of course not. I…" she began but stopped as she saw how tired he looked. "Turn around." She ordered him instead.

At his questioning look, she turned him herself and began to knead the muscles on his shoulders.

"You don't have to…" His sentence ended in a groan as he leaned into her hands. "That feels so good…"

"Lie down…" she instructed as she moved to give him room to maneuver. "And take off your robe."

"Yes ma'am." He mock saluted her.

He was almost asleep on the bed during her impromptu massage when she finally decided to break the silence.

"George…"

"Hmm…?"

"Why haven't you offered to let me see your memories on the pensieve?"

And just like that, George's sleepiness vanished.

* * *

**A/N :****1****Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 10 : Luna Lovegood p. 185**


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17. If You Leave Me Now…**

**AN1**: I own nothing. Don't sue. Unbeta'ed and written at 2AM so forgive typos and grammatical errors when you find them.

* * *

George took the long way home and opted not to apparate back to their home that night. He had feigned sleep the night before when Luna asked him about sharing his memories with her, not quite knowing how to answer her. When she had finally slept, he'd lain awake trying to figure out what to do next. A part of him was afraid of what would happen if she found out the whole story, but a part of him was also relieved that it would all finally come to a head. It was with the thought that maybe it was time to come clean that he'd finally been able to fall asleep.

It was only after a couple of hours that he'd woken up and finally resolved to give Luna what she'd asked for. After carefully leaving the bed so as not to wake her up, he'd gone downstairs and apparated to the shop to get all her letters to him. He'd then extracted his memories of the events that led up to their marriage, her move to the States, her return to and her subsequent departure from Britain. He had then apparated back to their house and left everything on the bedside table with a note, hoping against hope that when he came home later that day, she'd still be there.

* * *

_Luna woke up missing George's warmth behind her. They had taken to spooning when sleeping and she'd gotten used to waking up with the feel of her husband's chest on her back and his arms around her and his lips dropping light kisses on her nape. She sighed heavily as she berated herself for not waking up in time to see him off to work. Of course her regret was mostly due to the fact that whenever they fell asleep before getting amorous the night before, he'd always made it up to her by dragging her off to shower with him in the morning…_

_She tried to suppress the shiver that ran over her as she remembered how utterly late for work he'd gotten a few days ago when she'd opted for a leisurely bath instead of a shower and more water had ended up on the floor instead of the tub. Biting back a moan, she made herself turn towards the bedside table to look at the time and was surprised to see a pile of scrolls lying where the alarm clock normally sat. _

"_What the…" _

_She reached out to take one of the scrolls and saw a piece of parchment float towards the floor. In her haste to catch the note before it hit the ground, she inadvertently knocked the rest of the scrolls off the table and too late she saw that there had been a small flask amongst the pile. With her torso hanging precariously over the edge of the bed and her balance off, she could only gasp and stare helplessly as the glass container holding some milky white substance tipped over and started rolling towards the table's edge._

* * *

It was with trepidation that he finally reached the house. He stared for a couple of minutes at the front door before nervously using the key to open it.

* * *

"_George!"_

_The redhead startled at hearing his name being called out. "Ginny! What are you doing here?"_

"_Can't I visit my brother without a reason?" the younger Weasley teased her brother._

"_Uhm…are…are you meeting Luna later?" George asked nervously, not quite knowing what he'd do if his wife showed up at the shop. He'd been on pins and needles the whole day, half wishing the time would speed up so he could go home and find out if she was still there and half dreading the passage of time as it would mean he'd soon go home and find out if she was still there. His sister's appearance at the shop was a development he hadn't anticipated._

"_Huh? Why? Did she say she was planning to meet me today?" Ginny asked curiously as she noted her brother's pallor._

"_Oh…no…she didn't…" His voice trailed off as a thought occurred to him. If Luna hadn't thought to call his sister, did that mean that she'd taken the whole thing well? Or had she decided otherwise?_

"_George, what's wrong?" _

_His sister's worried voice broke through his musings. He considered blowing her off but at her look of concern, answered abruptly instead, "I gave her what she wanted." _

"_Huh?" Ginny's concern turned to confusion at her brother's seeming tangential response._

_He sighed loudly and slumped in his seat as he explained, "She asked for my memories. Last night…she asked why I hadn't offered to have her look into my memories…"_

"_Oh…" _

"_I pretended to be asleep…" He stared sightlessly at the wall behind her as he paused._

_Ginny waited for him to finish._

"_I tried you know…" he started again, "...I thought if I could just make new memories with her, that she would learn to just accept our relationship and not ask about what happened in the past…I thought it'd be enough…" He added, face and voice devoid of emotion._

"_George…" _

"_But I was wrong and she still wanted to know…needed to know I guess…" He continued to stare blankly at the wall behind Ginny. _

"_George…" she said again as she moved to reach out to him. _

"_So how could I continue to say no?" His voice broke as he finally turned to look at her helplessly._

"_I…you…" Ginny didn't quite know what to say or do, unable to decide whether he would appreciate any attempt on her part to give him a hug._

"_I'm so scared…" _

_He'd whispered so quietly she almost didn't hear. _

"_It's going to be okay…" She tried to assure him even as she silently questioned the validity of her claim._

"_What if she's not there again when I get home?" his pained whisper gave life to both their fears. _

"_Luna loves you…" she sought to reassure him again, stepping closer._

"_I reckon I wouldn't make it this time…" and it was then that she saw him shiver and fight to keep his emotions in check in the same way she'd only seen him do when he struggled to contain his grief during Fred's funeral. _

_But unlike then, when he'd brushed off any of their attempts to hug him in comfort as he sought to become their pillar of strength, this time it was him who reached out to her. And for the first time in a long while, it was the youngest Weasley who became the rock onto which the older sibling clung._

* * *

The quiet hit him squarely in the chest.

She wasn't home.

He strove to keep from panicking as he made himself walk up the stairs to the bedroom to check if perhaps she was sleeping and had not heard him come in.

And although he'd prepared himself for the worst his knees nearly buckled when he saw that the bed was empty.

He slowly walked towards the bed and sat down heavily, struggling to breathe.

He knew he should get up to check the closet. But he couldn't muster the strength to do so, knowing he wouldn't survive if he found it empty once again.

* * *

**AN2** : Sorry for the looooooooooooong hiatus (though not quite as long as the one for "Obvious" which is still on a break) and the not so long update to boot. *sigh* While I had originally planned for this fic to be a bit more lighthearted it somehow morphed into this (that's what I get for writing on the fly again). At any rate, I hope you're still interested in seeing this story to its conclusion. And while I would like to chain my muses to me so I can update as fast as I used to, they're quite flighty (especially when there's codes to write as well) so I hope you'll be patient with them (me). Xie xie.


	19. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18 : Do you remember?**

**AN: **Muses holding steady so far so here's another update. Hope you're all still reading =)

**AN2: **I own nothing. Don't sue.

* * *

Luna came home to a darkened house. She had apparated by the front parlor so she could take off her shoes first, not wanting to track dirt into their bedroom. She frowned in confusion when she didn't hear anything moving upstairs.

"_That's strange. He's normally back at the house by this time. Maybe he'd gone to the Burrow?" _she thought to herself as she climbed the stairs gingerly to go to their bedroom. She didn't bother to turn the lights on and was headed directly to the bathroom when she saw him. He was sitting on the floor with his back against the side of the bed and his head rolled back as though he had fallen asleep where he sat. She walked quietly towards him and stared at his form for the longest time before she kneeled down and gently touched his shoulder to wake him up.

* * *

George was dreaming. He knew he was dreaming because he heard Luna calling his name. Afraid she would vanish he kept his eyes closed, unwilling to wake up. And then he felt her touch him and he froze. She felt so real, he was increasingly tempted to open his eyes so he could see her.

* * *

Luna shook her head at her husband's seeming refusal to wake up. She sighed heavily and decided to leave him where he was for the meantime, thinking that a few more minutes in that position wouldn't hurt him while she took a shower. Unable to help herself though, she leaned towards him so she could drop a light kiss on his cheek.

* * *

At the feel of soft lips on his cheek, George was finally brought out of his slumber. Steeling himself for disappointment, he expected empty space to greet him and was surprised to see her in front of him. "Luna?" his question came out huskily.

"Are you okay? You looked as though you'd seen a ghost." She asked at his look of confusion.

He reached out to touch her cheek tentatively, half afraid she was only figment of his imagination, that or he was still asleep and dreaming. When his fingers met skin, he whispered in wonder, "You're here…?"

She laughed at his response. "Uhm…I live here?"

He sagged in relief at that and couldn't help but pull her bodily onto his lap so he could wrap his arms around her. He closed his eyes as he rested his chin on her shoulder, enveloping her body with his.

Squished as she was with her arms between their chests, Luna was unable to do more than rest her head on his shoulder too. "What brought this on?" she asked in concern when she felt him shudder against her.

George tried to speak past the lump in his throat. "I thought you'd left…" _again, _the last word was left unsaid.

Luna sighed as she struggled gently to free her arms so she could wrap it around him too. "Why would I leave?" she asked him gently, needing to understand.

"You have before…" he answered slowly, not really sure why she was still here. _Didn't she read the letters? Didn't she look into his memories? Why wasn't she angry at him?_

She didn't answer for the longest time and George had to move back a little so he could look at her face again, needing to know what she was thinking.

"Luna?" George gently asked her.

"Why so serious?" she asked in a teasing voice.

He seemed to consider his words carefully as he sought to read her expression. Finally, he started to ask, "Did you…"

She didn't let him finish. "I didn't read them."

"Oh." He frowned in confusion. "And the …" he trailed off.

"I didn't look."

George's heart started pounding furiously in his chest. "_What did that mean?" _he wondered as he waited for her to say more.

But she only stared at him in silence, eyes boring into his as though waiting for him to react.

He swallowed nervously as he finally asked, "Why?"

She shrugged, not saying anything.

"You…" It wasn't a question.

She nodded solemnly.

* * *

_Luna came to with a start and sat up abruptly. She winced when the sudden movement caused her head to start pounding. She looked around her, not quite sure where she was. She frowned as her eyes met trees and realized she was outside. She struggled to shake off her disorientation as she wondered how she ended up where she was as she started to stand up and promptly fell again when a sharp pain jolted up her left leg. She carefully inspected her left ankle and gasped when she found it a little swollen. Well that explained the headache as well. She must have slipped while walking out and hit her head as she went down. _

_Where the hell was she? All around her, darkness was starting to fall, and whatever light the sun had given that hadn't been obscured by the canopy of trees above her was starting to fade. She got on her knees and fumbled around her for her wand and gave a sigh of relief as it met the familiar structure lying a couple of feet away from where she'd woken up. She whispered "Lumos," and immediately, the tip of the wand lit up, illuminating the surrounding area. When she saw several scrolls spread around her, she froze as images started flashing in her head. She was glad she wasn't standing when it happened otherwise, she'd have stumbled again in surprise at the speed with which things started coming back to her. _

_She didn't know how long she sat there on the forest floor, but when the images finally stopped coming, there was complete darkness around her, the light at the end of her wand having gone out when she dropped it when the memories hit her all at once._

* * *

"And you're still here…" his voice came out hoarsely.

"Why wouldn't I be?" she asked him softly.

"Because…" was all he could say. _"I was a prat to you," _the thought, unvoiced.

She raised an eyebrow at him, waiting for him to finish.

"Aren't you…" George tried again.

"Yes?"

Frustration battled for dominance inside him at her maddening calm and won. "Luna!"

And to his added chagrin, she giggled. "Gotcha!"

George could only stare in bafflement. _She was joking? _George didn't know whether to be glad or sad about that. Did she or didn't she remember? But before he could ask further, she'd crawled out of his lap and tried to stand up gingerly. It was the pained expression on her face that made him look down and notice her ankle. "You're hurt." All at once, concern for her overrode everything else he was feeling. He quickly got to his feet, picked her up and gently deposited her on the bed. "Why didn't you tell me you were hurt?" he admonished her as he bent down to examine her left ankle. "It doesn't seem too bad, but I'd feel better if a mediwitch can take a look at it as well." He continued, oblivious to the bemused expression on her face at the picture he made before her.

"What are you doing?" she asked in surprise as he stood up to pick her up again, with wand in hand.

"We're apparating to the hospital…" he answered absently as he prepared to do just that.

"George!" she struggled to be put down.

"What?" he asked as he looked at her face again.

"It's okay, just a sprain, there's no need for the hospital." She reassured him gently.

"How do you know?" he asked, unwilling to take chances with her health.

"I've had one before so I know what it feels like." She answered. "Just breathe deeply and relax."

"I.." he stopped what he meant to say as he took in her expression and finally conceded sheepishly, "…am being a total twit aren't I?"

She giggled at that as he put her back on the bed again. "Just a bit…" she answered, gesturing with her right hand, thumb and forefinger making a U with an inch of space between them.

"You need anything for the pain?" he asked as he finally relaxed and smiled back at her as he knelt on his knees in front of her again.

"Nothing really…but I do need a bath." She grimaced, knowing she didn't smell all too great after her tumble in the woods. "You think you can run me one?"

"Well, that I can do." He smiled at finally being able to do something for her. He stood up to do just that but then turned back around to lean over so he could drop a kiss on her lips. "Don't move…I'll come back to carry you in there, okay?" He didn't leave until he saw her nod her acquiescence.

It was when he was checking the bathwater's temperature that he remembered her words.

"_I've had one before so I know what it feels like…"_

He froze, as the implications of that statement finally sank into his consciousness.

She did remember!


	20. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19 - Love is a Wonderful Thing**

**AN: **See disclaimer in previous chapters.

**AN2: **Unbeta'ed so all mistakes are mine.

* * *

George tried not to put too much stock at the realization that despite the return of her memory, Luna was still with him. And not only that, but she also didn't seem to be in a hurry to leave and was in fact determined to stay. If that were the case, then he needed to make sure she doesn't change her mind. That would mean that he needed to tell her how he felt and hoped that she felt something for him too. If she felt even a fraction of what he did for her, then that would be enough for him. But before that, he needed to apologize to her – for forcing her to marry him when she'd been too young and too vulnerable to deal with everything that that entailed, including his guilt, for ignoring her existence in the years that followed, for forcing her to stay married to him just when she was finally ready to move on, and for not having the bollocks to admit that he'd been totally head-over-ass-backwards-in-love with her for the longest time.

He breathed deeply to get his emotions under control just before he went back to the bedroom to get her.

* * *

Luna stared after George as he went to the bathroom. She frowned as she remembered his reaction at seeing her earlier. She supposed she shouldn't blame him if he'd thought she would leave him again. After all, she had done it before – twice.

The first time, she'd been too young and insecure to cope with his resentment at being forced to marry her and so she'd taken the chance to leave, hoping that with some distance, he would miss her and maybe come for her. But as each of her letters remained unanswered with nary a visit from him, she'd slowly accepted that he wouldn't ever feel the same way. And she had loved him - loved him in a way that a schoolgirl loved the first boy who'd showered her with attention and offered friendship. It was the kind of love that, with time and distance and inattention, was destined to wither away and die. So when she had decided to stop hoping and sever ties with her old life, she'd known she had to come back and end things with him.

Of course, her plans had gone awry when, ironically the wedding night she'd been cheated out of years before had inadvertently happened, and instead of immediately jumping at the chance to be permanently rid of her, he'd held her to a promise to stay until they found out for sure if there wouldn't be any consequences of that night. And she'd realized that she'd fallen in love with him again – fallen in a way that a woman fell for a man who'd showed her how it was to finally be a woman and made her feel the first blush of passion. It was the kind of love that, with time and proximity and attention, was destined to grow and flourish. But when their waiting was for naught and he hadn't said anything of what he'd felt, she'd known that she needed to leave again and end things with him.

So she had sought to forget how she felt and tried to live a life without magic and without him. But fate had intervened, and she'd ended up right back where she started. And when the memories came back to her, her first reaction had been to flee once again, thinking that it was only due to obligation and pity that George had come for her. But then a strange thing happened. Sitting there on the forest floor in the dark, a lone firefly had suddenly appeared. And when she'd followed its path as it flew up, she'd then seen a glimpse of her namesake amidst the treetops and remembered a long ago night, when she'd sat at this very same spot and had seen her future. Only, she hadn't realized it then.

* * *

_Twelve years ago…_

_Ten-year old Luna snuck out of their house to escape her father. He had been uncommonly angry at her when he found her in her mother's old spell room. Although she knew she had been in the wrong because he had expressly forbidden her to ever go into that particular room, she had disobeyed and gone in anyway. She had only wanted to touch some of her old things, needing to be close to her memory this particular day. The day that marked the year since her beloved mother had passed on. _

_It was the first time that she had shouted back at her father. And it was the first time that he'd allowed her to run away from him. _

_So she'd snuck out and went to her favorite spot in the woods nearby. It just hurt too much to be at home and to be around her dad, when he refused today of all days to talk about her. So she sat down and rested her back onto a tree and closed her eyes, willing for memories of happier times to come to her._

_And as though her mother had heard her, a spell she'd taught her on one of their treks into the forest came back to her and she whispered, __"New moon, new moon, I hail thee! By all the virtue in thy body, grant this night that I may see…He who my true love is to be…"_

* * *

She hadn't expected anything to happen, but she had fallen asleep that night and dreamt of a tall man with red hair. Strange that she hadn't ever remembered that dream in all the years that followed. Stranger still that it had suddenly come back to her just when she'd wanted to give up for the third time. And that's when she decided to stay. Because she'd realized that George was that man in her dream. That he was her one, true love. That she wanted a future with him. And she couldn't help but think that maybe her mother wanted that for her as well.

And that was why she was still here - because if there was a chance to make this arrangement a forever kind of a thing, then she would take it. She owed it to herself to find out for sure. And if by chance George didn't feel the same way, then she'd let him go but without any regrets. But if, if by chance George felt even a fraction of what she felt for him, well then, that would truly be wonderful, wouldn't it?

* * *

**AN: **Apologies to all HP purists out there for once again taking some liberties with Luna's past but then again, I think she's a little (a lot?) OoC here anyway =). I know this is a short chapter but I felt that I should end with that line. The next one will be a little longer (I think) as they finally have that long deferred heart-to-heart talk so if I take a while to update, I apologize in advance. Anyway, a big thanks to everyone for reading (and leaving feedback when they can). Till next update.


	21. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20 I Only Want to Be With You**

**AN : **See disclaimer in previous chapter.

* * *

George stared at Luna as she sank deeper into the bath, eyes shut and head resting on the edge of the tub. He wasn't quite sure what to say, or if he should be saying anything, much less be there at all.

"Is there something on my face?" she finally asked without opening her eyes.

"What?" George was startled out of his reverie.

"I can feel you staring…" she murmured.

"Oh…" He blushed at being caught gawking and was glad she couldn't see. "I was just wondering if you needed help…" he finally offered sheepishly.

She smiled at his lame answer, before answering mischievously, "Are you offering to scrub my back?"

His mouth hung open at that and for the life of him couldn't formulate a proper response.

"George?"

"Sorry…" he finally managed to answer. "You want some privacy I reckon…"

She opened her eyes at that and looked at him directly. "Actually, no, I don't."

"I…" He felt all his blood shoot downward at the look in her eyes.

"I was thinking you can join me…" she offered throatily.

George knew he shouldn't.

They needed to talk first.

She was hurt.

But after the scare he had earlier, he needed to feel her against him.

He needed to touch her.

Kiss her…

Smell her…

Taste her.

He needed to assure himself that she really was there.

And so, before she could change her mind, he gave in.

* * *

She had only been half teasing when she said it, seeking only to make him smile. But before she could backtrack, she saw his expression change.

And before she could say anything, he was on her.

* * *

The fierce hunger in his expression belied the gentle way he touched her cheek as he knelt down next to the tub.

His hands shook a little as he traced her lips with his thumb.

And then he was leaning into her and caressing her lips with his own. Softly and tentatively at first, as though half afraid she'd push him away. And when he felt no resistance, he changed the angle of his lips on hers while his other hand tangled with her hair.

She gasped to take breath and then his tongue was seeking entry and she had to clutch at his shoulders for support as she felt herself melt further into the kiss.

It turned sensuous…intense…deep.

He struggled to take his clothes off without breaking the kiss, hands tangling with each other as she tried to help him disrobe.

Water splashed out unnoticed as she made room for him inside the tub.

Then, they were coming together without words or gentleness.

It was frantic and wild and rough and needy. Each wanted relief. Each sought release.

And when it finally came, they wanted more…

And more…

And more.

* * *

It was hours after, when they were in bed and it was halfway between dawn and midnight, that he remembered that they needed to talk. He looked at her as she lay wrapped in his arms before he whispered, "Luna…"

"Hmmm?" she asked sleepily.

He almost changed his mind, but knew he wouldn't be able to relax completely until he knew for certain that she wouldn't be disappearing on him again. "You remember everything don't you?" He asked, half dreading her answer.

He felt her tense against him briefly before she relaxed and answered, "Yes."

He'd been expecting that, but still felt surprised at hearing it. When she didn't add anything more, he forced himself to ask again, "Do you…not hate me?"

His question seemed to startle her because he felt her look up at him in surprise. "Why would you think that?"

He ignored her question. "Would you have come back if you hadn't had that accident?" He held his breath and dared not look at her, dreading her answer.

Her silence was confirmation enough and his hold on her tightened unconsciously. "Then I'm glad you had that accident then…" He admitted fiercely.

* * *

She gasped and couldn't help but sit up and look down at him then.

He looked at her and the raw pain in his eyes made her clutch the sheets tighter against her chest. "You could have died…" he whispered.

"I…" she couldn't formulate a response.

"I could have lost you without knowing it…" he continued as though he hadn't heard her. "If Dean hadn't been at that hospital…"

"I don't understand…" was all she could offer, because she really didn't.

"Don't you get it?" There was anger in his voice and face and something else that Luna couldn't quite identify.

"George…"

"I'm a right selfish bastard because I can't help but feel relieved that you had an accident." He nearly shouted at her. "You got hurt and you lost your memory and still I am glad it happened because it brought you back to me!" He finished hoarsely.

* * *

George felt his world collapse when she started crying. He quickly sat up gathered her back into his arms and whispered frantically, "I'm so sorry…" over and over again. And when he couldn't bear her anguish no longer he found himself promising her, "Shh…it's okay…you're free…I won't…If you want to leave I'll…" _let you… _

He wasn't able to finish, because she suddenly pushed at him and said quite fiercely, "Don't you dare…"

"Huh?" He asked in confusion.

"Don't you dare say you'll let me go!" she was nearly shouting at him then.

"I…you want to stay?" He wasn't quite sure that that's what she meant.

"You daft man! Of course I want to stay. I love you!"

"But…why…" he knew he sounded stupid. He felt stupid. "You were crying…I thought…" And then what she said finally sank in. Did she just say that…

"You love me?" he asked in wonder.

She nodded and bit her li . "And I want to be with you."

* * *

Luna's heart thudded painfully in her chest as she waited for his response. When it didn't come immediately though, she couldn't help but doubt.

"That is…if you still want me to…" she finally whispered hesitantly.

* * *

He couldn't help it. He laughed. He was so relieved and so unbelievably happy he couldn't even formulate enough words to tell her how much.

So he didn't say anything. He just grinned at her and pounced.

* * *

"So I take it that's a yes then?" she asked with a smile when she could finally catch her breath at being tackled onto her back.

"Yes. A thousand times, yes!" he whispered softly just before he leaned down and kissed her.

* * *

Breaths hissed.

Skins brushed.

Backs arched.

Limbs tangled.

Lips parted.

Tongues tasted.

Teeth nipped…nibbled…bit.

Arms twined.

Fingers drifted.

Nails scratched…scored…marked.

Hips stroked.

Thighs enfolded.

Sweat formed…beaded…slid.

Time stilled.

Sounds muted.

He gave.

She took.

As hands clasped,

…and toes curled.

Bodies melded…

…gentle and slow,

…healing and soothing.

It was blissful.

Wonderful.

…

…

Perfect.

* * *

It was when they were both drifting off to sleep with the first streaks of dawn peeking through the curtains, that he remembered.

"Luna…"

"Hmmm?" she asked sleepily.

He looked down at her as she lay wrapped in his arms.

"I love you too." He whispered.

She smiled and whispered back,

"I know."

* * *

**AN2:** Okay, I know I promised a long one and I really tried. But these two have always had a mind of their own and they kind of directed this one... I hope it was (still) worth the wait though. =)


	22. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21. Love & Marriage**

**AN:** Sorry for taking sooooooooo looooooooooooong for this final chapter. I seem to always lose my muses when I travel to the Middle East so do forgive me. Anyway, I thought I would never get to finish it but after a year and some change, it's finally done. To everyone who has taken the time to review, put on alert & add this to their favorites list, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Until the next story.

* * *

He stared at himself in the mirror as he adjusted his robes nervously. To relax himself, he stuck his hand in his pocket and felt for Fred's DA galleon coin, the one thing he always kept of his twin since his death, and immediately felt calmer. Wherever his brother was, he knew that Fred would have been happy for him today of all days. After six long years, he was finally doing the right thing. And he couldn't be happier.

A knock sounded before the door opened and Ron's head poked from behind it. "It's time."

Squaring his shoulders, George walked out towards his future.

* * *

_She came home (from her weekly visit to Ginny) to a quiet house. With school term about to start, she knew that George would be really busy getting the shop ready and so she wasn't expecting the sight that greeted her when she opened the door. _

_Candles were floating all around, illuminating the room with their soft glow. _

"_George?" she called out softly as she stepped inside the house and closed the door quietly. There was no answer. She was about to call out again when she noticed something on the floor. Flower petals of varying colors were artfully arranged to form a path leading out towards the sliding door that led to the garden. She couldn't help but smile in anticipation as she quickly, but carefully, followed the trail. _

_She gasped in pleasure when she saw what he'd done to the garden._

_Fireflies were all over the place and right by the fountain she saw that a table had been set up, lit by two candles. And when she finally stepped onto the grass, the soft strains of violins playing met her ears. She frowned in confusion as she tried to recall an occasion that warranted this gesture from her husband and drew a blank. But before she could do anything else, familiar arms encircled her waist from behind. _

_She shivered in pleasure as he whispered, "Welcome home," to her ears he rested his chin onto her shoulders. _

_She smiled as she leaned back onto him and asked, "What's this about?" _

_He slowly spun her around so she was facing him before he answered with his own question. "Do you like it?"_

_She couldn't help but laugh softly. "Are you trying to sweep me off my feet?"_

"_Is it working?" was his cheeky reply._

"_Yes."_

"_Good." _

"_I feel awfully underdressed." She complained lightly as she noted his dress robes and compared it to her jeans and T shirt. _

"_Should I disrobe then?" He asked mischievously._

"_Only if you're wearing something under that robe…" she replied. "I don't want you to freeze to death."_

_He laughed loudly at that. "Well, I wouldn't want that…"_

"_So, is today some special occasion I forgot?" she asked as she stepped closer intending to wrap her arms around his waist._

"_Forgot, no." he answered as he took her hands in his and prevented her from embracing him. "But it is a special occasion…"_

"_Oh?"_

_And before she could ask further, he was kneeling down on one knee before her._

"_I know this is six years too late…but…will you marry me?" he whispered as he presented her with a diamond ring._

"_George…" she didn't know what to say. "You don't have to…"_

"_But I do." He cut her off. "You didn't have a choice back then…I… took it away from you. My family and I did."_

"_George…"_

"_Please…just let me finish." He cut her off again as he lowered his other knee so he was kneeling before her completely. "We forced you into a marriage that you weren't ready for. You came to us for protection and instead of taking care of you I left you all alone to grow up on your own and drove you away from your friends because of my selfishness and immaturity. But even though I know I had been a prat to you and really don't deserve this second chance, I am asking you for one just the same…because I can't imagine living my life without you again."_

_The tears she had been holding back finally fell at his heartfelt confession. And when he saw it, his hand tightened around hers unconsciously, as though afraid she would break away from him. As if she ever would…as if she ever could… _

"_Yes." It was all she could manage to say past the lump in her throat._

"_Yes?" He asked again, hope now starting to light up his eyes._

_She nodded, unable to say anything else._

_And then he was wrapping his arms around her and burrowing his face onto her chest. _

_She couldn't help but laugh as she too wrapped her arms around him. And before she could say anything else, he was standing up and sliding the ring onto her finger. And then he was kissing her and she was being lifted off the ground._

* * *

She stared at her reflection on the mirror as she tugged on her veil nervously. To relax herself, she ran her hands over the blue butterbeer cork necklace she was wearing and let memories of her parents wash over her. She knew that wherever they were, they would be happy to see that this day had finally come. After six long years she was finally doing the right thing. And she couldn't be any happier.

A knock sounded just before the door opened and Ginny poked her head behind it. "It's time."

Squaring her shoulders, Luna walked out towards her future.

* * *

Their wedding this time was a lot different from the one that had happened six years before.

They were older and wiser.

The place was grander.

There was a reception to follow.

They were more formally attired.

They had rings this time.

And they said their own vows.

Their friends and families (mostly his) were in attendance.

They were happier.

They were in love.

This time, they kissed (long enough to elicit hoots and hollers from the crowd).

And unbeknownst to them both, there were two others that bore witness to the whole thing.

Only, they were still too small to be noticeable.

But they saw everything…

…from inside their mother's womb.

**-fin-**


End file.
